You're the Missing Peice of the Puzzel
by animeangel1991
Summary: Yugi slowly pushes his friends,family,&even Yami away as high skool slowly comes to&end and gets involed wit a wild girl in college.Before he enters college he becomes vry ill&suffers from nitemares due to stress.How will yugi survive this&fallin for her?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**_** hey got another story for ya! A Yugioh story! Yay! I wrote a story about Yugi Muto (KHAA HES SO ADORABLE XD) and my OC Yuna in college! Wow Yugi in college huh? Hope u like!**_

Chapter One:

The early a.m. was a quiet time; hardly any cars passed by. Not even the birds were awake to chirp their morning songs. No motions occurred within the Turtle Game store. However, in his bedroom, a teen with tri-color hair tossed and turned uncomfortably in his sleep.

_-Yugi's Dream-_

_The same teen was walking down a familiar, dim hallway filled with lockers and a tile ground. His black and white shoes clanked silently across the floor._

_ "Where am I?" he asked himself out loud as he took in his surroundings, "Am I at… school?"_

_ Yugi then came upon a door. He slid it open and saw his own classroom. Cautiously, he walked in. As he did, the teen was able to see his two friends, Joey and Tristan. He walked over to them and asked, "Hey, do you know what's going on?"_

_ However, the two boys did not respond to Yugi. The boy smiled as he assumed his friends were playing a prank, as they sometimes like to do._

_ "Um… Hello?" Yugi asked in a childish tone. However, the two tall students did not reply as they remained completely still. Both held stoic expressions upon their faces as though they were only statues. They appeared as though they did not see the small boy at all._

_ "This isn't funny anymore!" Yugi protested as he become upset. He sighed with frustration as he gave up. He turned around and saw his friend Tea walking pass the classroom outside._

_ Before he left, Yugi looked back and saw his two friends, who still did not respond to anything at all. The petite teen walked out of the classroom to greet his buddy. However, the female student just walked right pass the smaller adolescent. She, too, possessed a blank look._

_ "Huh?" Yugi questioned with confusion. He was puzzled about the events around him. Glancing further down the very dim hallway, he saw his darker half._

_ "Yami!" Yugi called out with joy. As he raced over towards his partner, the area around them grew darker and darker. Just as Yugi was about to reach over towards his friend, the spirit began to vanish._

_ "Yami!" Yugi screamed as his heart began to fill with anxiety. The hallway soon fell apart, and Yugi was left alone in complete darkness._

_ "What's going on!" Yugi bellowed as fear crept its way into his mind. His head soon swirled with emotions of terror, anxiety, and loneliness. He did not want to be left in darkness all alone like he had in the past in his early childhood._

_ He then cried, "Please! Don't leave me!"_

_-End Dream-_

Yugi awoke a tad earlier than normal. The morning was quieter than what he was used to. The teen tried to move, but his entire form was too heavy to shuffle. His body soon began to ache all around. He felt as though he had been hit by a heavy, fast moving truck. He moaned a bit in pain. He attempted to sit up, and as he did he rubbed his stomach, as the area had caused him a tiny amount of discomfort. He began to feel small cramps in that area no too long ago.

Bit by bit, the boy opened his eyes slowly. His vision was at first blurry, and his head felt very heavy. Stepping out of bed, he approached his dresser and reached for a fresh pair of clothes.

He then strolled over to his door and walked down the hallway towards the bathroom. The young adult hopped in for a quick shower as he tried to wash off the unpleasant smell and sweat that had formed during the night. He quickly dried himself off and changed into his school uniform.

After changing, he thought back to the nightmare he had. He then at once experienced a quick, sharp sting emitting from his stomach. He leaned over the sink for support as he grunted a little. He recalled the pain started to form the other day.

Flashback

"What! Ryou is going to study overseas!"

The teen with white hair smiled his calm, cheerful grin. Everyone was sitting outside enjoying their lunch. They leaned over and listened carefully to their friend's story.

"Yes," Ryou answered, "I think it'll be best if I continued my studies elsewhere."

"Aw, we'll miss you!" Tea said with sympathy.

"He's not the only one who will be missed." Tristan noted as he glanced towards the female member of their group.

"I know," Tea agreed, "But I still would like to study dance in New York."

"That's a long way." Duke commented as he took a sip of his drink.

"She'll be fine!" Joey remarked with his usual silly grin, "Any guy that gives her trouble will be sorry for messing with her!"

"This is coming from someone with experienced." Tristan sighed.

"Hey! Shut it!" Joey protested.

"I think you should focus more on passing." Duke advised towards the blonde.

"I got this!" Joey growled, "But what about you, Dice Boy?"

"I'm good with school," Duke replied with an arrogant shrug and grin, "But since you asked, I think I'll just take some online courses as my parents are thinking about opening another location for the Black Crown game store."

"That sure is something." Tristan applauded, "As for me, I think I'll take a year off and go with work with my brother, then see if I can go to a community college."

"Yeah, he's better off working with his brother than his sister," the blonde snickered.

"Let's not get out of hand," Tea ordered as she wanted to enjoy her lunch time. She then smiled as she asked, "What about you, Yugi?"

"Me?" the smallest teen asked as he pointed towards himself.

"Yeah, Yug," Joey joined in as he was also curious.

"Well," Yugi scratched the back of his head, "Isn't anyone going to Domino University?"

There was silence among the group. They all looked around and waited for someone to answer, but no one did.

"You did say university," Duke repeated, "Those are more expensive than community colleges."

"Oh." Yugi said with disappointment.

"Don't worry," Tea tried to cheer up her friend, "I'm sure you'll make plenty of new friends there."

Yugi stared down at his food with a crestfallen look. He did not want to start over again. He wanted to stay with his friends. When he was younger, he did not want to start high school. Even though he had to put up with bullies, he wanted to stay with Tea and be with her. A part of him deep down resented change, though he kept that to himself.

"_Do I have to go alone?_" Yugi thought sadly to himself. He packed away his lunch quietly as everyone else continued on with theirs. He suddenly lost his appetite.

End Flashback

Slowly, the teen lifted himself up from the sink as the sting diminished. He then continued on with his morning routine. As he open the door to his room, his eyes were pulled by the light that shined off the Puzzle as it sat upon his desk.

He reached for his pendent and placed his prize possession around his neck. Despite his treasure taking him eight years to solve and did cause plenty of trouble, the overall wish of the adolescent receiving friends was well worth it. His Puzzle had helped him through high school, but Yugi wondered what would help him in his college years.

"_Is everything all right?_" a spirit asked with concern for his partner, "_You don't seem to be well._"

'_Just… a long night._' Yugi replied softly. He walked down the steps and into his kitchen where he prepared himself a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning, Yugi," a woman greeted with a yawn. The boy turned to see a woman with short, maroon hair wearing a pink robe. She was a bit surprised to see her son ready for school so early. She normally had to toss him out of bed or found him sitting on the ground playing a game. She then asked, "Did you want me to make you something? Pancakes? Eggs?"

"No, that's ok." Yugi insisted, "I'll be going to school now."

"Ok, then," the woman yawned once more.

The boy placed on his shoes and left for school. Less people were out, which made Yugi feel a tad more comfortable. He did not want to be around so many individuals at the current moment. The walk over was quite peaceful.

When he arrived at his learning destination, some students had already arrived, having been dropped off by working parents or had needed to catch an early bus ride. Although many teenagers prefer to sleep in until the last second, some attempt to finish their homework before the start of first period in their quiet rooms filled with distractions.

As Yugi stepped through into his classroom, he gazed around to see a few other peers rushing with their assignments. Yugi was a bit surprised to see another adolescent with white hair already at his desk but working diligently with a worried expression on his face.

"Good morning, Ryou," Yugi greeted with a small smile.

"Can't talk," Ryou quickly explained, "I fell asleep, and I forgot to get this done!"

"Oh, ok." Yugi understood his friend.

The same incident had happened to him several times in the past. All the time was needed and could not be wasted with mindless chatter. Yugi took a seat next to his friend as he glanced around the classroom once more. He knew how much time he had before he would be in a new classroom, in a new setting, in a new school, and with new people, but he was curious about how much of an emotional impact it will have on him before the end of the school year.

He began to reminisce about his first year. He was a lot smaller than he was now, both physically and emotionally. He was nervous for meeting so many new students and seeing his old classmates grow taller. He always held a good relationship with Tea, but the girl was very outgoing. She would join clubs, take on new positions, and made friends easier. Yugi recalled he would just sit around in his classroom and played games by himself.

"I wonder if anyone likes games in college," Yugi mumbled to himself, "Or… will they think that that's just childish?"

His heart sank a little upon that idea. Games were his life after all. His grandfather owned a game shop, and the young teen had dreamed about bringing friends over to show them old and new games. His wish eventually came true.

"Did you say something?" Ryou asked as he gathered up his materials.

"Hmm," Yugi replied as he didn't expected anyone had heard him, "No, I didn't say anything."

Ryou sighed with relief when had managed to finish his assignment.

"I'm glad that's over," the teen with white hair remarked, "I hope I don't make this mistake in college."

"Me neither," Yugi laughed. Soon, more and more pupils showed up for class, and most of Yugi's group was ready for the day. Just before the bell rang, a slow witted teen with blonde hair raced towards the entrance.

"Made it!" he declared with pride as he tried to catch his breath.

"You want a gold star for that?" Tristan smirked.

"Shut it!" Joey yelled.

Everyone laughed. Yugi looked around and was glad that over time he eventually became friends with everyone. However, his stomach began to hurt a little when he began to think about life in college away from his high school companions.

Although he felt sluggish, the school day went by pretty quickly for Yugi. The only out of the normal routine was the teachers handing out flyers for students promoting Domino University, the same college where many Domino High School students decided to apply and attend first.

At the end of the day, Yugi departed from his usual groups of friends and went home. He greeted his mother and grandfather and went straight to his room to finish up his assignments. Because he was not so hungry during dinner time, he placed his leftovers in the fridge. As everyone was putting their dishes away, the phone rang.

Yugi walked over and answered, "Hello?"

"Hello? Yugi? Is that you?" the other line asked.

"Dad!" Yugi asked with joy, "How are you! How is your trip going!"

"Just fine," the man laughed, "How is school going?"

"Good," Yugi answered. His smile faded a little as he asked, "Um… Dad, I was thinking about which college I should go to and… is your job still going to involve a lot of traveling?"

The other side was quiet for a moment. Yugi waited anxiously for a reply. He wanted to know so he could better prepare himself for which ever college he wanted to attend. Deep within, a part of him was afraid to leave his mother and grandfather behind. He wanted to be sure they would not be left alone.

"I don't know at this moment," the man finally answered, "But whatever you decided, I'm sure we can work around it."

"Oh, ok," Yugi said a little sadly, "Have a safe trip, Dad. Here's Mom."

The teen handed his mother the phone and walked towards his room. He sighed with discontent as he entered through his door. After taking off his Puzzle, he sat on his chair. He then started to think about his options.

He did not want to leave home and live in the dorms. He was unsure of what his roommate would be like. He was afraid his roommate may not like games at all, or he could possibly be a bully. Yugi shuddered at the thought of that. He did not want to deal with anymore bullies.

Ever.

Just then, he felt his stomach becoming upset. He placed his hands on his abdominal for comfort. He was really unsure of what the future held for him, and he was a bit afraid.

"_Something wrong?_" Yami asked as he appeared.

Yugi glanced up towards his darker half. He did not want to address the problem. He wanted to be by himself and think about his options. He was unsure of what the spirit of the Puzzle could do for him. This was Yugi's future, and the teen knew he needed to handle this problem by himself. He looked back down as he replied, '_I… I just want some time alone… If… If you don't mind._'

At that moment, he felt a comforting hand on his shoulders. He glared back up to see his partner smiling. His eyes were filled with his usual confidence.

"_I don't mind,_" the spirit said boldly. Before vanishing he reminded gently, "_I'll be in the Puzzle until you're ready to talk._"

Once alone, Yugi sighed. He wasn't sure of he ever be ready to talk about it. He recalled he usually dealt with problems by taking them without aide from others. Because he did not want to be a burden to his family nor to his only friend, he rarely asked for help. He always walked around with a smile. The grin was not a lie since the boy was truly happy with the way things were. He only wished for a real friend. A part of him worried if he was truly worthy of having loyal companions.

He sighed as he stood up. He told himself if he wanted to be prepared, he needed to know what he was getting into. He left his room with his school bag and walked to another room. The area contained a computer, a working desk, a lamp, and a bookshelf. The teen turned on the computer and allowed everything to load. He went through his bag and pulled out a flyer with the address for the website he needed to check out.

When the computer was ready, the young adult opened up the Internet and typed in the Domino University's website.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi stared out beyond the fence on the school's roof. It was the same place he went to when he wanted to be left alone. He recalled he did the same routine when he tried to figure out a solution to rescue his grandpa's soul after it was stolen by a man named Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters.

That was his first major adventure with his friends and the spirit of the Puzzle. There was excitement, tears, doubt, and fear, but everyone made it back home alive. Yugi was also grateful he not only took home wonderful memories, but he was able to meet new people as well.

The teen glanced down and watched as many other students left the building and headed towards their individual destination. Everyone the boy knew was busy that afternoon. Usually, he would just head home but would enjoy having a conversation with his darker half. However, on this afternoon, the teen had something else he needed to take care of.

As he left school, Yugi braved through a different path than what he normally would. He hopped on a different in a bus and took a seat by himself. Hardly any other passengers were on board. He looked out the window and saw many buildings, skyscrapers, telephone poles, and trees quickly pass by as the vehicle was in motion.

"_Where are we heading for?_" Yami asked as he appeared.

"_Just… a visit to a university._" Yugi replied quietly as he continued to look out at a different view than what he normally saw every day. He was proud of himself for taking a huge leap into his education, but was a tad afraid of what the new world of learning held for him.

"_A university?_" the spirit repeated, "_Is he concerned about his future?_" The spirit observed his partner's expression as Yugi appeared to be lost in his own world.

When the bus came to the right stop, Yugi stepped down from the vehicle and stood in front of a huge, iron gate. They were open wide as many older and tall students passed by. Although the day had ended for many high school students, some undergraduates were barely beginning their studies.

Yugi glared down the gates with awe, fear, and excitement. He wondered what lied beyond the entrance of Domino University. His body began to tremble, and his heart raced quickly. A part of him wanted to turn away. To calm himself down, Yugi took a big breath and tried to cheer himself on.

The university was far bigger than Yugi was accustomed to in his high school world. Four giant buildings that appeared to be three stories high stood with many dirt free windows and clean classrooms. Students passed by chatting away about their classes or activities they plan to do.

Suddenly, Yugi felt very small. The world of higher education was very vast with learning new subjects, dealing with new professors with different titles, and students that came in and out during the morning, afternoon, and evening. Yugi was careful to watch where he was walking. He did not want to bump into any bigger students and cause problems. He had plenty of experience when he was younger and did not want to go through them again.

The high school student was lost. He wasn't sure where the administration building was. He did not have the confidence to ask for the location. To his relief, he saw a directory with a detailed map of the campus. His eyes were first drawn to the red arrow that read, "You are here."

"Ah, there it is," he mumbled to himself after observing the map. Earlier in the day, the teen asked himself questions the people in charge of the administration department may ask. He double checked to be sure he had his high school student ID and a folder with loose-leaf paper to jot down any important information or gather any necessary website links he may need.

"Hey," one student called out. Yugi turned to his side and saw a male student with brown hair wearing a yellow shirt and brown pants. He smiled as he asked, "Aren't you Yugi Muto?"

The teen nodded his head.

"This is so cool!" the student exclaimed, "My name is Eichi. Would you be interested in taking a look at the school's Duel Monsters club?"

"Duel Monsters club?" Yugi repeated a tad stunned.

"Yes, it's a fun club!" Eichi tried to persuade, "I'm sure all of our members would be pleased to meet to you."

Yugi thought about his option. As much as he wanted to attend a college meeting and learn something new, he remembered he had to take care of a few things.

"I would, but I need to go to the administrative office." Yugi explained. Eichi's smile faded a bit as he said, "I hate to tell you this, but the office is closed."

"Really?" Yugi asked confused.

"Yeah, there's some sort of flooding that happened there." Eichi informed.

Yugi glanced down at the ground with discontent. He really wanted to take a look as to what he needed to do and what papers needed to be filled in so he could attend Domino University. He quickly doubted himself as to whether or not he would be prepared for college.

"Well, I could show you around the place if you like." Eichi offered. Yugi thought about his option once more. He figured he might as well take a tour of the school he would soon attend. The one named Eichi did not appear to be a bad fellow. Yugi finally agreed, "Ok."

"Great!" Eichi exclaimed. The older student took the younger student around the place. Yugi was fascinated with all the advanced equipment the school was able to use.

Many top of the line computers and giant lecture halls laid within the buildings. Professors and instructors also had their own tiny office for assisting their students with homework or preparing for tests. There were also many study places students used mainly to chat rather than do work. The young adolescent noticed many undergraduates using their own laptops and netbooks to have their assignments done and take notes.

"_Guess I may be needing one of those_." Yugi thought to himself.

"Since the administrative office is closed, do you think you can make it to the meeting?" Eichi asked once more, almost begging.

"I don't see why not," Yugi answered.

Eichi and Yugi walked up a flight of stairs to the second floor of one of the buildings. The carpet held interesting designs that matched along with some of the posters that were put on display. Many students stood inside and outside the classrooms. The two boys soon came across room 205. As Eichi opened the door, Yugi was stunned to see numerous students interested in the trading card game.

"Hey, everyone," Eichi greeted, "I brought over a special guest."

Everyone was in shock to see the winner of Duelist Kingdom and Battle City in the same room as them.

"Um… Hi," Yugi greeted nervously.

"Hi!" everyone greeted back with joy.

As the teen walked in, he saw many duelist playing the game or just relaxing and talking among peers. If not, then they were watching a large screen with a card expert in view explaining new rules, different cards, and which ones were banned from tournaments.

There were about as many as thirty members in the club. Yugi couldn't help but feel a tad jealous. In his class, a few other kids played the game, but they were mainly boys who were below Yugi's and Joey's level of experienced. He doubted any of the duelists had to place their lives in a Shadow Game, like he had done many times in the past. He was brought back to reality when heard many players talking loudly.

"And for my next turn, I activate this!"

"What? What do you mean I lost 1,000 life points!"

"Wow! What an awesome strategy!"

"That card is so cute!"

"I want one in my deck!"

"Hey, Yugi," Eichi called out, "Want to play?"

"Um…" was all Yugi could say before a female interrupted, "Leave Mr. Muto alone."

Yugi turned to see a young lady with long, blonde hair wearing a pink baby-tee with white lining with a diamond belly chain around her waist and a bundle of diamond bracelets on both her wrist, she wore a double heart diamond choker necklace around her neck, short blue daisy dukes, white platform wedges. Part of her hair was pulled back while some hung around her face, her diamond star earrings peeking around her hair. Lustrous teal eyes with diamond dust eye makeup and a diamond eyebrow piercing on her left brow, looked at him through her banes framed by olive skin and shinny pink kissable lips. She had dainty hands with diamond nails. She was a sparkling Barbie doll. In other words she was a knockout.

"I'm sure Mr. Muto has plenty of high school studying to get back to," she said with a flirty smile.

"Oh, right," Yugi smiled, feeling sheepish. He looked over at the clock and realized he needed to leave so he would be able to return home before it became too dark outside.

"Do you think you can stay and meet our president?" Eichi asked, "He's in class right now, but I'm sure he'd really like to meet you and be impressed you came along."

"I'm sorry," Yugi replied, "But I do need to get back home."

"I'll walk you back to your stop," the female student offer.

"Bye, Yugi!" everyone said, "Hope you come back soon!"

The teen smiled then left.

"Um… I don't think I got your name," Yugi said, trying to be polite as he and the female student left the building and headed down the same path he took to enter.

"My name is Yuna." she introduced herself with a smile, "I've been playing Duel Monsters ever since it came out."

"Wow," Yugi said impressed.

"I'm really glad there is a club like this on campus. Is that why you're coming here? For the club?"

"Well, actually, I didn't know there was a Duel Monsters club. This is the university many students from Domino High School attend after graduation."

"Oh… Well, even if you decide to go someplace else, I hope you can stop by and say hello. I'm sure many of our members will be happy to see you again. We're really trying to expand the club to new people interested in learning the game."

Yuna went through her bag and took out a bright colored sheet of paper. "Here," she offered with a wink, "It's a flyer for our club meetings."

Yugi accepted the paper with a blush and examined it with awe. Decorations of many characters as well as the time and place of the meetings stood out.

"You should stop by again to meet our president, Izumi. He and Aoi are the founders of the club, but Aoi was too laid back to take charge and make the dream of having a Duel Monster's club a reality." Yuna laughed.

"I'll see if I can." Yugi replied, wanting to return. When the two came upon the large, iron gates, Yuna assured, "Don't feel as though you need to came right on time or stay the entire meeting. It's a club where people can come and go, as we all have other things to take care of."

"Thanks for everything." Yugi expressed filled with gratitude.

"No problem." Yuna winked.

The two departed, and Yugi went to his bus stop. He hopped on and sat by himself. As entertainment, he took out the flyer and examined it once more. He never expected to meet such people at a university.

"_Maybe things won't be so bad_," Yugi tried to cheer himself up for choosing a different school from his friends. Yami watched his partner from within the Puzzle. The spirit smiled upon seeing his lighter half appeared to be excited about moving up in education.

When the teen came home, he found a package waiting for him. He gazed upon the thick, snow enveloped and was surprised to see the sender was from Domino University. He did not understand how he managed to obtain the same information he was looking for while exploring the college campus earlier.

After greeting his grandfather, Yugi placed his belongings in his room. Taking off his sapphire jacket, he placed it on his simple chair. He then carefully settled the upside down pyramid on his cluttered desk.

Yugi sat on his bed and organized the papers around him. He carefully analyzed each set of instructions and guidelines he needed to follow in order to submit the perfect application. The teen was glad he was able to receive the information he needed, but his stomach soon became upset once more.

He did not realized how much he needed to fill out in order to be looked at by the administration. There were plenty of words and phrases the teen had difficulty comprehending. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to stay home and away from the dorms. The thought of a roommate still frighten the teen a bit. Just then, a sudden knock came from the door.

"Yes?" the boy answered. As the door opened, an elderly man stepped through.

"I see you received a package from Domino University," the old man observed with a grin.

"Yup," the teen replied.

"Guess the first people on their lists to send these out are those who had family who are alumni of the university." Solomon deduced. Yugi shot his head up baffled.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused, "Who went to Domino University?"

"Your father did, of course!" Solomon replied with a laugh, "He went to study business and marketing. I suppose all that hard work paid off as he received his promotions very quickly."

Yugi glanced down back to his forms. He had no clue where his parents went to school, and he felt a little dumb for not asking.

"What about my mom?" the teen asked as he was now filled with curiosity, "Where did she attend school?"

"I don't remember which school she went to." Solomon answered, "You can ask her when she returns home after her shift from the pharmacy. Did you know she studied overseas for a semester?"

Yugi's eyes widen a bit.

"No, I didn't," he answered truthfully, "How did she afford that?"

"She received a scholarship," the old man informed.

"_She must have been really smart_." Yugi assumed as he reflected on his average grades. He couldn't help but feel ashamed for not being a bright student like his parents were. Before leaving, Solomon tried to cheer up his grandson by saying, "Of course you don't have to go to Domino University if you don't want to. There are plenty of other colleges you might be interested in."

"Well isn't that great," Yugi sighed sarcastically to himself once alone.

He was glad to know his parents worked hard and managed to survive another set of school, and he was even surprised to learn how intelligent his parents were. His father was able to receive promotions while his mother not only earned a scholarship but even had the opportunity to study overseas. His father studied business while his mother studied medicine. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to do with his life yet.

The forms were still scattered around the teen's bed, but he went ahead and lied down on his mattress with his blanket only covering halfway. He folded his arms and rested them behind his head as he reflected his options. He had the choice to attend Domino University like he originally planned, or he could expand his search and look for more opportunities.

To Yugi, a small light of relief was found when he had been informed his father had attended Domino University, and there was also a Duel Monsters club on campus with fun loving people like Eichi and Madoka. The teen then remembered applying was one thing, but testing in was another variable. He wasn't even sure if he should attend any of the after school studying programs many of his peers took in order to increase their chances of entrance.

However, because of all the adventures with duels and dark magic, the teen felt lucky enough to be passing some of the toughest classes he needed. He then sighed with discontent when he remembered he still needed to pass high school before he could even go to college.

He soon developed a headache with all of the terminology floating around, but his stomach was causing him more pain. He positioned his hands from his head to his abdominal area for comfort. He was in no mood to eat any dinner. He closed his eyes as he tried to relax.

The one part Yugi didn't understand though was why doubt plagued his mind. In the past years of his high school life, the teen was able to make friends, duel a corrupted CEO, face the madness of the Duel Monster's creator, saved his grandfather's soul, survive the harsh duels from Battle City, lived through a virtual universe, saved the whole world and his closest friend from the darkness of an evil serpent, and maintain confidence at the KC Grand Pix.

"_So why was applying to college so scary for me?_" Yugi wondered with immense anxiety.


	3. Chapter 3

Yugi sat at his desk writing down notes on a slip of paper. In between lectures, the student would jot down any information that came to mind. There were times when his brain was absolutely focused on school, and others where he was lost within his own world.

The spirit of the Puzzle was a bit curious as to why his partner seemed to be so interested in a single, plain piece of line paper. Yami understood school could be tedious and uninteresting at times, but Yugi was still in class and needed to pay attention in order to do well. Yami peered over Yugi's shoulder to see what was so fascinating. He was glad no one else could see him for this act would have appeared to be very strange.

The paper was set into two columns with two different headings. Below them were bullet points with a few words placed on. Although the pharaoh was unable to understand the headings on top, he could tell one column contained positive information while the other held negative factors.

"_Perhaps Yugi is considering his options for his future_." Yami assumed as he disappeared; he didn't want to be a distraction for his light.

During their lunch time, Yugi and Joey were playing a quick game of Duel Monsters.

"I activate this magic card!" Joey declared as he flipped over one of his cards on the field, "It allows me to…" He cut himself off as he noticed his opponent and friend was not paying attention.

"Yo Yug, everything ok?" he questioned with concerned.

"Oh… yeah." Yugi replied as he snapped back into reality.

"You don't look so well." Tristan observed, "Maybe you should go to the nurse."

The small teen wanted to protest but found his energy leaving him. He could feel his own hand tremble, and his stomach began to hurt once more. Joey glanced over towards the brown paper bag by Yugi and noticed his small buddy had not eaten any of his lunch. The blonde folded his cards, stood up, and instructed firmly, "Come on, we're taking you to the nurse."

"But what about our Duel?" Yugi tried to argue, "You were doing so well this time!"

"Relax, we can always just put the game on pause." Tristan tried to reason.

"But-" Yugi was about to counteract when he saw his friend placing his hand over his deck. Both the other teens were surprised at the blonde's act.

"We can Duel any time," Joey explained after he surrendered, "But if you're not feeling well, we need to make sure you get better as soon as possible."

Yugi reluctantly accepted his friend's offer. He respected the blonde for swallowing his pride to help the smaller one feel better. The three of them walked down a long hallway towards the infirmary. Yugi glanced up for a bit but kept his eyes down low.

He recalled he always dreaded walking down the hallway alone; older classmates would push his books out of his hands or purposely shove him down to the hard, tile floor. Now, he had his two companions looking out for him. Since then, hardly anyone ever did pick on him.

"_Is that because Joey and Tristan are my friends?_" Yugi pondered, "_Do… do I not have the courage to stand up for myself? Will I ever be able to?_"

The small boy felt his abdominal area hurt once more.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked as he turned around and noticed his friend had a look of pain on his face. The group had stopped walking.

"Nothing," the boy mumbled as he wanted to move on.

xxx

"Well, Mr. Muto, you have a small fever," the nurse informed as she glanced at the thermometer.

"_Great_," Yugi sighed as he closed his heavy eyes, "_I already have so much to do… getting sick is the last thing I need_ _right now._"

At that moment, he felt his stomach becoming upset once more. As though by instinct, he wrapped his hands around his stomach.

"Yugi, if you feel unwell then you should go home and rest." Yami tried to encourage.

"I can't afford to miss anymore school!" Yugi argued, "I need to get as much studying done before the year is up."

"But the school year isn't that far in, is it?" Yami pointed out, "You may end up becoming absent if you allow yourself to contract something worse."

Yugi sighed.

"Mr. Muto?" the nurse called the student's name. Yugi opened his eyes.

"Sorry about that," Joey tried to cover up for his small buddy, "I'm sure he's just having a headache and didn't hear what you said."

"I asked if it was all right if I call and have someone take you home," the nurse repeated.

Yugi glanced at his friends who all had concerned looks on their faces. The small teen knew he did not want to become a burden, but his pals would still worry. Either way, he couldn't win. In the end, he simply nodded his head. The two boys wanted to wait with their pal until Yugi's mother arrived. When she did, the nurse informed the woman of her son's condition.

"Get better soon," Joey tried to encourage with his usual grin.

"We'll let Tea know you went home early so she doesn't think you ditched," Tristan winked as he joked.

Yugi only smiled a tiny one. He was grateful his pals were there to help him out but knew he ended up causing everyone to worry about him once more. The boy walked with his mother in silence, and the drive back home was mainly quiet.

Yugi went straight to his room when he arrived. Placing his bag by his desk, he then settled his necklace upon his desk. He sighed heavily as he took out a large textbook. Not wanting to become behind in his studies, He sat at his desk and began to work.

As the student shuffled through his papers, he came to the same sheet he had been working on throughout the day. Angrily, he crumpled the paper and tossed it behind him. He didn't want to think of anything other than school work that needed to be done. Yami sensed through their link the frustration his partner was feeling.

"Yugi," Yami began gently, "Why not take a nap and then finish your work?"

"I don't have time!" Yugi spat as he tried to figure out what a simple question was asking from his books, "I need to get this done!"

"But Yugi, if you're becoming frustrated, then the answers won't come as easy to you." Yami tried to reason. The teen heard his darker half. He really wanted to go to bed. He wanted to sleep and a part of him never wanted to wake up.

He didn't want to deal with the homework assigned so frequently.

He didn't want to worry his friends with his small fever.

He didn't want to worry his family about his decision about which college he wanted to attend, assuming he was accepted.

Yugi stood up and looked out his window. For now, his only problem were pretty common ones. He wondered if it was a good thing since he and his friends had recently saved the world from evil once more. Currently, no other threat came about at the moment.

He soon began to worry if something horrific would take place before his entrance exam. He wanted to be there for Yami; he had made a promise to help restore his partner's memories. He viewed the spirit as his friend, and he had promised he would always be there for his friends.

Yugi's stomach began to hurt when the word "friend" swept across his mind. Although he had made a vow to assists his circle of companions, he wondered if he ever made time for himself. He wondered if he would need to if he'd just end up alone in college. At that moment, the teen felt another wave of an unpleasant sting entering his abdominal area.

"Yugi, are you all right?" Yami asked when he saw his partner leaning against his desk.

Yugi clinched his stomach with one hand as he tried to support himself against the table with his other. He started to breath heavily, but his eyes were glued to the Puzzle. Slowly, he removed one hand as he grasped the chain of his pendent.

For a second, the only thing on Yugi's mind was his treasure. He could barely hear his partner as other problems consumed his mind, draining his spirit. He noticed he wanted to be alone, and to him, that selfish desire appeared to contradict the one wish he wanted very badly. Recalling he was able to finally have friends, it was at the cost of having to always save the world from darkness. A part of him never wanted his adventures to end, and the other never wanted to deal with those same problems.

His eyes then gazed down at the chain. Chains were often used with meaning, whether it was a keep out or a deep connection, but at times they were viewed as a decoration. The teen didn't want anyone to feel like they were tied down to him. Quickly, Yugi removed his hand from the table and grasped his stomach with both his hands. He couldn't think anymore. He shut his eyes tightly as the pain soon engulfed his entire form.

"Yugi!" Yami bellowed as he watched in horror of his partner falling to his knees while grasping his stomach area. The spirit rushed to the aide of his lighter half but was unable to do anything.

"Yugi," Yami called out once more, "What's wrong!"

"Ya… mi… I'm sor-" was all the teen could whisper in between gasp of agony while still possessing the upside down pyramid.

xxx

The young adult with the tri-color hair lied on his mattress with a cool cloth over his eyes. He was in his light blue pajamas in his room with the lights off. Yami watched over his other half carefully with a very depressed look on his face.

"_The doctors said your stomach pain was caused by extreme amounts of stress_," he reflected sadly, "_Since they only prescribed you medication and there was nothing more they could do, __they sent you back home to rest_."

He recalled his partner still managed to hold onto the Puzzle throughout the drive to and from the hospital. On the way back, things were very quiet in the car as the Muto's allowed a member of their family to rest.

There was a sudden knock at the door. The spirit turned around to see Yugi's mother and grandfather in the doorway with worried expressions. The elderly man stepped quietly into the room and walked up to the mattress. He was unsure of what was causing such stress, but he had seen similar illnesses in his grandson not too long ago. He decided to investigate.

"Yugi," the old man called out quietly, "Is there a problem going on at school?"

Yami decided to listen in as well. He glanced down at the teen and tried to observed the situation at hand.

"…No," Yugi replied softly.

"Are you falling behind in one of your classes? Is there a teacher giving you a hard time?"

"…No…"

"What about your friends? Is there trouble among them?"

"…No…"

Solomon glanced back towards the short woman. He and the woman felt the same pain of seeing someone they cared deeply about undergo a rough time. He knew Yugi's mother wanted to help out in any way she could, but if the matter dealt with dark forces, she may not have as much to offer. Solomon walked up closer to his grandson and asked quietly, "Is there any trouble with the spirit of the Puzzle? Is there any evil afoot?"

"…No," was all Yugi continued to answer. The old man sighed. There was nothing more he could do.

"We'll just let you rest," he said then walked out of the room. The door closed leaving the young boy alone with the former pharaoh. Yami watched over his partner carefully.

"_He was telling the truth the whole time_," he observed sadly, "_His heart did not waver at all._"

The spirit clinched his fists together tightly. He wanted to assist Yugi to recover but was unsure of what else he could do.

"_Yugi, what's bother you so much?_" He tried to remember if his light had been dealing with any emotional anxiety, but nothing came to mind. His thoughts were interrupted as he watched in horror as the young teen attempted to sit up.

"Yugi!" Yami bellowed as he rushed over." "Yugi, don't move," he advised softly, "The doctors said you need to rest."

The young teen stopped shuffling around. He did what he was told and tried to get some sleep. He was having trouble achieving his goal as his stomach was giving his whole body waves of pain. His mind was having difficulty resting as questions bombarded his head.

"Try and relax your mind," Yami suggested as he continued to feel anxiety coming from Yugi.

The teen tried to sleep once more. He was too fatigued to think of any more worst case scenarios, and every time a new problem arose his stomach would pull all of his muscles into a tight squeeze. He was soon lost into a world of sleep that lasted well into the evening.

The spirit looked after his lighter half with worry. He felt helpless he couldn't do anything to assist with physical illnesses, but since there could be another culprit at hand, he had a strong desire to help out. He attempted to have his mind place together any possible theory as to what was bother his companion so greatly. He soon saw the ill teen waking up from his slumber.

"Yugi," Yami called gently as he kneeled beside the mattress filled with worry and concern, "How do you feel?"

Yugi rubbed his eyes, but his mind was still groggy. He had forgotten where he was, or what recently happened to him. All he could remember were images of chains. Suddenly, the two heard Yugi's door open. The mother of the teen walked in with a small bowl of rainbow sherbet in hands.

"I know you may not be hungry," she said in a quiet tone, "But you should at least eat something. This will help ease your stomach."

The woman placed the bowl on her son's lap with a sad, yet motherly loving expression on her face. She then left the room and allowed the boy to be alone. Yugi stared at the bowl with a blank look. He stirred the frozen confection as the heat melted the ice. Slowly, he started to wake up.

"You should take a few bites." Yami suggested while trying to not give a full order.

Yugi could feel himself being hungry, but at the same time he wasn't. He heard what the doctors had said, and he needed at least five days of proper rest. He sighed once more, and he closed his eyes. He didn't want to be out of school that long.

Although he wasn't too far behind in his studies, he was about to start what he wanted to avoid. When he came down with a normal illness in the past, the disease only took a toll on his body for a day or so. He did not like being sick for he was away from his friends, and he disliked lying on a couch watching daytime television.

He lifted the spoon up and placed the frozen treat into his mouth but had difficulty swallowing.

xxx

"There's a letter addressed to Yugi," the woman said after examining the mail.

"From where?" Solomon asked with curiosity.

"Domino University," the lady gasped a tad stunned but also amused, "Has he started applying already?" The woman couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"I don't think so," the elderly man replied, "But maybe this can help cheer him up. This _is _from the same college as his father."

The old man took the letter and walked up the steps to his grandson's room. Knocking gently on the door, he stepped through when he was cleared. As he entered, the teen was already sitting up in bed and had only managed to eat a few bites of his dish.

"Yugi," Solomon called out quietly, "There's a letter here for you."

"From who?" Yugi wondered as he released his spoon.

"Domino University," the old man replied.

Yugi's eyes widen as fear and doubt consumed his mind for a brief moment. He grasped his stomach area as pain began to emit once more.

"Yugi!" Solomon and Yami bellowed at the same time. The elderly man grabbed his grandson to prevent him from falling. He then gently helped the boy lie back down on the mattress. After the pain lessened, Yugi whispered, "Put it on my desk… I'll… I'll look at it… later."

Solomon did what he was told. He then took away the nearly filled bowl of food and left the room to let the boy rest. Yami continued to watch over his partner carefully throughout the night.

"_His body is at ease, but his spirit is restless_." Yami observed, "_There was a moment where he seemed to be truly afraid. But of what? And why?_"

He then retreated back into his Puzzle when he decided to investigate without having to disrupt his light's sleep.

During the middle of the night, the teen awoke. His stomach gave him a little discomfort but not as horrible as before. Yugi had too little energy to sit up, so he allowed himself to lie awake.

As a child, he often wondered what his purpose was in life, and he didn't receive an answer until he was a first year in high school. However, he began to wonder what his new purpose would be after assisting the pharaoh in regaining his lost memories. A part of him feared Yami would no longer exist after their next adventure. He did not want to say goodbye to Yami, or any of his other companions. Yugi sighed.

He knew when he recovered, he would be taken by his pals to Burger World, his favorite place to go. Yugi thought back to all the times he hung around with his loyal companions. For those brief moments, he was just a regular adolescent. Back to when his childhood friend Tea worked, he went there often. Although he didn't have the money nor the stomach to consumed down an entire meal each visit, he often would order something small just to see and support his friend. He then began to remember all the places he'd like to go, whether it was with everyone in his group, or just himself and the pharaoh.

He had so many adventures with his buddies, the young teen could feel his chest ache with the idea of having to split apart from his group he cared for so deeply. Perhaps the hardest place of all to give up was his high school.

He was able to meet and stay friends with the ones he was able to see everyday. He knew after graduation, everyone would take a different path towards their goals in life. He also knew the person who would have it the hardest was his closest friend Tea. She was the one who was making a big decision so she could follower her dream.

"_She's making that vision into a reality_." Yugi reflected, "_But she will also be leaving her family behind. I don't know how she manages to be so strong when the future can be so scary_."

The boy grunted in pain as his abdominal area was causing him trouble once more. Quickly, he tried to relax his mind and body as he did not want to hear a lecture from the spirit of the Puzzle. He was in no mood to hear what he already knew. He sighed once more.

"_I'm not sure if I can handle staying here anymore_." And just like that, the teen soon felt a tad better. Stressed left his body as he realized a solution to a piece of his problem.

"_What if I did go someplace else?_" Yugi pondered, "_Although I would be leaving behind Domino, maybe I can enjoy some other places, even if it's just one city over_."

As he glanced down, he saw his crumpled up paper he tossed earlier. Slowly, he reached for the slip and once he grabbed hold of it, he carefully unfolded it. He examine the lists he made about the pros and cons about attending Domino University

"_Time to make a new list_." Yugi told himself. He steadily made his way from his mattress towards his desk. He turned on his lamp in order for him to see more clearly. He sat at his desk, opened a drawer, and took out another sheet of paper.

Like his first composition, Yugi made two columns about the same subject. He was determined to find out if he was better off almost starting life over again. He figured college was a time to try new events without being brought down by sad memories of favorite establishments like the Spider Arcade or Burger World. He did, however, wondered if Burger World had more than one location. He made a mental note to check the next time he went.

He rapidly made more bullet points about the pros of leaving, and the cons of being on his own. In the back of his mind, Yugi heard someone calling out his name, but the teen ignored the familiar voice. He was too busy and excited to listen. When he was done brainstorming as many points as possible, he turned the paper over and started on a new set.

He quickly made notes about money. Although Yugi was not a greedy person, he knew he needed as much cash as he could obtain in order to go through school. The adolescent reviewed in his head he would need to find a place an apartment to stay in exchange for a dorm, food to eat, tuition money, and entertainment. Despite being aware of how much time the young adult would be working and studying, he understood that he could not spend all his time doing dreaded, tedious work. He knew he wanted to have fun as well.

At that moment, Yugi stopped writing. He could feel his whole body tremble with fear. Throughout the joy of being free, he had forgotten at what cost freedom actually is, and not just money wise. Yugi had truly wanted to find a solution to his problem but knew he couldn't win no matter which path he took. He would still either be leaving or be left behind by the people he truly cared about. Yugi took another look at the lists he made. He then glanced towards his side and noticed the letter from Domino University. He didn't have the courage to open it.

He soon felt his stomach beginning to ache once more. This time, the strain was far worse than earlier. Yugi wrapped his arms around himself as he leaned over. He moaned in pain. Wanting to cry a little, he felt no tears being formed. Suddenly, the familiar voice broke through.

"Yugi! Are you all right!" Yami asked as he finally reached his partner. Yugi's body slowly began to relax as he lied his head on his desk to rest.

"I believe you should go back to bed." Yami ordered in a gentle tone.

Yugi didn't argue; his whole body was too fatigued to do anything else. Slowly, the boy made his way back from his desk towards his bed. He placed himself underneath his covers and closed his heavy eyes.

"_Back to square one_," he thought sadly as sleep overtook his body once more.


	4. Chapter 4

Yugi awoke late in the morning. He groaned a little as bits of discomfort existed throughout his entire body. He removed the cloth from his face that became warm during the night and rubbed his eyes. Glancing over at his clock, he remembered everyone else was in school. He sighed as he tried to sit up.

"Wait!" Yami protested with care, "Are you feeling well enough?"

The teen stopped moving for a moment. He had too little strength to move at all. He decided to stay put to ease himself and his friend.

"Did you sleep ok," the spirit asked making easy conversation.

"Yeah…" Yugi answered lazily.

Yami assumed since his partner was still not acting like his normal self, he was still tired. He then advised gently, "Why don't you go back to sleep."

Tiredly, Yugi glanced over towards his pendant. He recalled the previous nights his last thoughts were about chains. He reflected the eight years it took him to solve the entire puzzle. He was drawn to the power emitted from inside. At first, he did not understand and just enjoyed his time placing the pieces together.

"_And then I met you_," the boy remembered.

If anything, he wouldn't ever be alone as long as he was connected to his darker half. Yugi first found the idea of an ancient spirit watching over him while ill a bit odd in the beginning. As time moved on, the boy began to grow more comfortable around the pharaoh. He wondered if he would miss having someone by his side and encouraging him either through words, action, or even mere presence.

He knew he only had so much time before the Domino Museum closed its exhibit on Ancient Egypt and displayed something new. Any other clues that would help lead the pharaoh to finding his memories would soon be lost. Yugi gripped his bed sheets tightly with fear. Although he wanted to keep his promise, a part of him wanted to keep his friend with him. Yugi thought about the possibility of bringing the Puzzle with him if he ever decided to leave Domino. At least then, he would never be alone.

He allowed himself to drift back into sleep until the evening.

Yami took a seat on a chair in Yugi's room as he watched over his partner. Carefully, he observed the boy's chest as he inhaled and exhaled calmly, like the waves in a harmonious sea. The young teen also had his eyes closed as his body rested against the mattress as the sun gently shined through. So far, no signs of the illness progressing into something worse nor was the boy suffering from his stomach ulcer appeared.

"_Stress is a terrible build up_," the spirit noted, "_Yugi… What is it that is causing you to become ill? What are you so tense about?_"

Yami decided when the teen woke up, he should be well enough to talk about his problems. Although the spirit wanted to find his own memories, he decided to push aside his problem and take care of his partner. The older boy, however, did not want to pressure the younger one into speaking about the his inner private thoughts. Yami had too much respect for his partner to commit such an act.

"_But if I can find a clue as to what is bothering you, then maybe I can help find a solution_."

The sun moved graciously across the sky signifying how much time had passed during the day. Yami continued to keep a close eye on his lighter half. He knew the adolescent needed as much rest as possible in order to recover on a steady path.

Because the teen was asleep into the late afternoon, he did not have the opportunity to have a visit with his friends. As the sun finished melting into the horizon, Yugi started to wake up. Bit by bit the boy was able to open his eyes. He groaned a little in pain. He sat up in bed and took notice his body was covered with sweat and an unpleasant smell.

"How do you feel?" Yami asked casually. He waited patiently for a moment before receiving a reply, "Still tired… but fine."

Carefully, the boy stood up and made his way to his dresser.

"Yugi, you should stay in bed," Yami heavily recommended as he wanted to keep his partner from passing out and hitting the floor.

"I will," Yugi answered softly, "I just want to take a bath first and wash off."

Just as the boy was about to open his door, his grandfather knocked. No words were exchanged, but the elderly man guided his grandson to the bathroom where a warm bath was already prepared. The woman with maroon hair and Solomon allowed the teen to rinse off on his own. Yugi took off his clothes and stepped into the water.

"_This feels good_," Yugi thought as he allowed his body to relax. He was a tad upset he slept through a time where he could have had a visit from his friends. Although Yugi was not prepared to say anything about his emotions, he still wanted a little company. He recalled a memory when he was a first year in high school.

He had a small fever and everyone came by after school. He felt ecstatic for having people rearranging their plans to see someone they cared about. He then realized friendship is like a nice, warm bath for the human spirit and heart. He didn't want to leave the gratifying water for a cold world.

Soon, a small knock was at the door. The young adult sighed as he hopped out, dried himself off, and changed into a fresh, clean pair of pajamas. He was glad he finally obtained some clothes that did not look as though he was in grade school.

After leaving the bathroom, Yugi was guided by his mother towards his room. The small boy entered his room and told his family that he would just go straight to sleep. When the door shut, a spirit appeared and asked, "How do you feel?"

"Fine… I'm going to bed." Yugi announced a bit tired. He climbed onto his mattress and lied on his back. However, he remained awake for a bit.

Silence took control of the room. The older boy made a note of this and because there appeared to be no extreme pain throughout Yugi's body, the pharaoh decided to seize this opportunity to talk with his lighter half.

"Are you ready to speak about why you are building up so much stress?" Yami finally asked. Yugi shifted towards his side with his back against his darker half. The spirit grew a concerned look on his face.

"Yugi, please," Yami began, "What's wrong?"

The young teen maintained to not say anything. He simply closed his eyes instead. Although he didn't want to be left alone, he did not want to explain his problems. He couldn't help but hold back.

"Can't we talk about this?" Yami tried to reason but continued to receive no reply. He sighed. He wasn't sure what else he could do. He was confused as to why his partner was not speaking with him. He understood his partner was drained, but he could only assume the worst. Perhaps the one reason why Yugi was not speaking to anyone was because of the one fact that could cause a relationship to fail.

"I thought we trusted each other," the spirit thought out loud to his lighter half, "We've been through many battles together, and you've been there with me the entire time. Our harshest time together was when we faced Dartz."

Yami closed his eyes with disgust as he clinched his fits together as he recalled his terrible action he took that nearly cost his partner's life.

"Is that why you won't talk to me?" Yami asked sadly, "Have you not forgiven me? Do you not trust me?"

Yugi's eyes widen when he heard what his darker half had questioned. The boy sat up and faced Yami with a nearly hurtful expression. He didn't want his partner to feel any guilt for causing his current illness. He knew none of this was because of a lack of faith nor was any of his negative emotions caused by the spirit of the Puzzle.

"That's not it." Yugi whispered. Yami opened his eyes and looked over at the smaller boy.

"I do trust you." Yugi continued, "I have forgiven you."

Yami felt relieved when the teen's words left his mouth. He was glad Yugi placed confidence in him and forgave him after everything they've been through. However, the spirit frowned upon remembering the condition of his partner.

"Then what is bothering you?" Yami questioned, "Surely whatever problems you have we can face together."

Yugi glanced down at his bed sheets as he repeated, "_Together…_"

After a moment of silence, the boy whispered, "No… I can't."

"Why not? Yugi, I'm only here to try and help you… Is this a problem that you wish to speak only with your other friends?"

"N-no…"

"Then what is it? Yugi, can't you speak to someone about this?"

"No! I can't!"

"Yugi, you're worrying your family, friends, and me."

"I know that!"

"Then can't you at least say what's on your mind? Can you let me in? Can we please talk about this?"

"I just can't!"

"But Yugi-"

"Yami, there is a time when people act together and become stronger. Unity and our friendship has been able to overcome anything… We stood by each other's side… You helped me when I wanted to rescue my grandpa from Pegasus. Joey was there for me even after being brainwash by Malik. I was there for you during Battle City and our fight against Dartz… But…

"But there are times in everyone's life… in my life…where we have to take a journey alone."

Yami could only look at his lighter half with awe. He understood what the boy had stated was true. He, however, never expected to hear those words from Yugi Muto. Perhaps no one did.

"_I can't talk about this_," Yugi had wanted to say but couldn't, "_If I do… then you'll be sad… I want you to remember who you were… but I don't want you to leave me… I… I don't want to be alone again…_"

The teen immediately felt his stomach churn with agony. He wrapped his arms around his waist as he scrunched his face together in pain.

"Yugi!" Yami called out with anxiety. He placed one hand on the teen's shoulder to show his presence and concern.

Slowly, the discomfort left Yugi's body. Tiredly, he placed his fatigued body back down on the mattress. He turned himself onto his side with his back against his worried friend. He opened his eyes partway as tears fell down his cheeks. However, throughout their time together, the teen had learned how to keep certain actions and feelings to himself so he would not worry his companion, who was also a spirit within his body.

"_Is that selfish of me for not wanting you to leave? But… but I don't want to be your chain that's pulling you down… so I can't tell you_." Yugi allowed his body and mind to be consumed by exhaustion as he fell back asleep.

The older boy could feel the younger boy's soul remaining strenuous, but he allowed Yugi to rest. The teen was asleep into the night. The moonlight from the boy's window shined through. The light reflected gently off the boy's cherubic face causing shadows among his blond bangs.

"_Yugi… what is bothering you?_" Yami questioned, "_I want to help you… I can't stand to see you like this… Your friends and family worry about you… I'm worried about you. Is that so wrong of me?_"

The spirit tried to recall what the adolescent had said earlier.

"_But what did you mean? What journey is it that we all need to walk alone?_"

Flashback

Yugi sat in a hospital bed with his deck scattered around. He had recently spent his time receiving treatment for his burns he gained while in the abandoned warehouse right before the start of Battle City. His friends stopped by to visit earlier and promised to be back the next day.

The teen stared at his Duel Monsters cards with admiration. He was glad his cards have never failed him before. He was, however, filled with sorrow he needed to construct a new deck.

"Why do we need to add new cards?" Yugi questioned his friend who appeared in his transparent state.

"We need to make sure our deck is powerful in order for us to stand up to any villain," Yami explained, "Everyone already knows about our strategy and cards we used in Duelist Kingdom against Pegasus. We need new combinations between magic and monster cards as well as design new traps for our future opponents."

Yugi closed his eyes and sighed. He did not want to say farewell to all his cards he created a bond with.

"Saying goodbye is too hard," the adolescent mumbled as he had grown attached to certain monsters.

"This isn't goodbye," Yami tried to reason, "This is us creating a new deck and meeting new monsters."

"I guess," Yugi agreed as a tiny smile grew across his face.

The two friends spent some time looking over new cards and possible strategy. Deciding upon which ones to keep and which ones to add was difficult. A proper deck needs balance between monsters, magic, and trap cards. The deck would also need harmony from the powerful monsters to lower level monsters with special effects. Just then, Yugi started to hack a painful cough.

"Yugi!" Yami called out with concern. He remembered the boy's lung were nearly filled with hot smoke from the fire but risked his life to save his friend.

"I'm fine," Yugi answered hoarsely. Carefully, Yami examine his partner. The young adult appeared to be well, but his road to recovery would take a while. Because there was no immediate danger, the construction for the new deck could wait.

"I think we should call this a night." Yami stated, "We can finish in the morning when you have gained a proper night of rest."

Yugi closed his eyes and sighed. He did not want to fall back asleep into darkness. He was too afraid the spirit would disappear.

"Y-Yami." Yugi said nervously. The pharaoh smiled as he felt a bit of the boy's fear.

"I promise I'm not going anywhere," the older boy stated with confidence as he understood.

"Ok," Yugi whispered as he allowed himself to drift off into his sleep.

End flashback

Yami returned to reality as he noticed his partner tossing and turning in his sleep. A look of complete terror was plastered the teen's innocent face. The spirit quickly figured out his light was suffering from a nightmare. He tried to call out Yugi's name with no results.

"Please!" Yugi begged in his sleep, "Don't go! Don't leave me!"

The dark spirit was baffled why Yugi was yelling such phrases.

"_What type of nightmare is this?_" Yami pondered, "_Who is it that is leaving him?_"

Over time, the adolescent would suffer different nightmares. Sometimes, there were merely little scary ideas that were common, such as falling into an endless pit, while others involved telling the future. Regardless of what type the nightmares were, the two would talk about it only to realize nothing was to be feared. Whenever the frightening dream was about telling a doomed future, the two friends promised to solve the problem and face the villain together. Yami was determined to awake his partner out his anxiety in his sleep.

"Yugi! Wake up!" the older boy tried once more.

"I don't want to be alone again!" Yugi screamed with fear that pierced through the cold air.

Yami's eyes widen a bit. He wanted to know what exactly Yugi meant. He tried even harder to wake up the boy.

"Yugi! It's just a dream! Wake up!"

After waiting for so long to the sound of the teen whimpering, he finally unlocked his pupils. Tears streamed down his face as he inhaled and exhaled rapidly as he woke up from the same nightmare he had already suffered through earlier. He then started to cough and his whole body ached as though he was in some sort of physical accident.

"Yugi," Yami tried to reach in a calming tone, "It's ok."

The young adult with the puppy dog eyes was still shaken even after taking a few moments to calm down. His eyes were filled with fear and deep anxiety.

"It's ok," Yami tried to sooth, "The nightmare is over."

Tears reformed and rushed down Yugi's cheeks. He buried his face into his legs he pulled together towards himself as he cried, "No… it's not."

Yami was confused about what his lighter half meant.

"Yugi," the spirit said gently, "Everything will be all right."

"No!" Yugi screamed with anger and anxiety, "Everything is not all right!"

Yami was stunned about what his lighter half was yelling. In between sobs, the teen whispered, "The nightmare isn't over…it's… it's just beginning."

Yami's eyes widen once more. Before he had time to ask, a bright light flashed.

"Yugi!" Yami yelled as he reached for his partner.

When the powerful glimmer diminished, the spirit saw the boy fell safely on his back and was asleep, but a new problem had arrived. The older boy quickly noticed how flushed Yugi appeared. The boy was also wheezing in his sleep. Yami concluded from his time with Yugi in the past the young adult was now suffering from a fever.

"Yugi," Yami whispered as he could only watch his partner deal with a new issue.

xxx

Yugi found himself walking around what appeared to be a forest. Many trees surrounded the area and a clear sky rested above. A crystal clean lake was also by his side. He looked down at himself and noticed he was still in his pajamas. He placed one hand on his forehead and felt no other physical illness.


	5. Chapter 5

All the students at Domino High were enjoying their break. Tea, however, stared out into space. She couldn't help but worry about her friend; she was not able to visit him as the group was informed he was asleep. She could only hope she would be able to see him today. She hoped he was doing better.

"Don't worry so much," Tristan assured towards the girl.

"Yeah," Joey agreed, "We'll just try and see him after school. And if not, then we'll toss him out of bed."

The two boys were arm wrestling each other. Tea heard what her two companions said, but she still couldn't help but be anxious. Within her own mind were memories from long ago. She recalled Yugi hadn't been this ill in awhile. She really wanted to visit him and make sure he was emotionally stable.

"Yugi, wait for us," she prayed quietly.

Xxx

Yami watched helplessly as Yugi slept in pain. His breathing was rough, and his skin became paler. He also appeared to be frighten. However, the darker half of the ill boy was not willing to only stand by with no action.

"Yugi, can you hear me?" Yami tried to contact his partner through their mind link, "Yugi? Are you all right?"

Despite the dutiful attempt, the spirit was not receiving a reply. He narrowed his eyes and clinched his fists together tightly as he could only wait and see if the younger boy would recover soon.

Yami sighed as he took a seat on the boy's chair. Hunching over and lacing his fingers across his face, he began to ponder about his light's nightmare that occurred earlier. He was puzzled about the phrases the teen shouted in agony. They began to repeat in his mind.

He wondered who was leaving him. Everyone the spirit knew who was part of Yugi's group was still here. None of the teen's friends nor relatives were dying, and no immediate danger involving evil magic showed.

Now the young Yugi was asleep with his already afflicted body fighting against an illness. But his mind and soul remained restless. Yami feared his partner may suffer from further torment with horrific visions during his sleep.

Xxx

Tea paused from running. She looked up at the clear sky with anxiety. She did not understand but felt as though something was wrong with her childhood friend.

"Yugi," she whispered sadly to herself.

Joey and Tristan were not too far ahead of their female companion. When the last bell for school rang, the three of them left the place as soon as possible. To each one of them, they could feel their small pal in pain. The sensation they underwent was similar to that of the Shadow Realm back over towards Duelist Kingdom.

"Hey, Tea," Joey called out to the girl. Tea stopped for a moment and looked towards her two friends.

"You go on ahead," the blonde stated, "Tristan and I will go get ice!"

Tea nodded and continued on in a steady pace. When she arrived at the building, a sign hung on the door that read closed. She went through the front of the Turtle Game shop with ease.

"Mr. Muto?" Tea called when she saw the elderly man dusting a few shelves. She stood up with her hands in front of her chest as she tried to catch her breath. She figured the old man was unable to open the shop while his grandson was ill.

"Oh, good afternoon, Tea," Solomon greeted with a sad smile.

"How is… Yugi?" Tea asked right away.

"Not so well," the old man answered truthfully, "But now that you're here, maybe you can help cheer him up. He's upstairs in his room. You can go on in."

"Thanks," Tea replied as she walked over towards the stairs. Before climbing them, the girl informed, "Joey and Tristan will be here later. They said they went to go get ice."

Tea moved up the steps towards her childhood friend's room. She remembered she was able to find the boy easily when the two were young. Usually, she found him in his room with game pieces scattered around. Sometimes, she would join in and the two would have an exciting afternoon.

For a moment, everything went dark around the female adolescent. She could see Yugi's room, but the door appeared to be very far away. With each step, the teen felt as though she was not reaching the floating entrance way. She feared something was keeping her from seeing her friend. She only wanted to be by his side and comfort him and say her usual cheerful phrases that made his heart beat wild with joy for having school companions.

"_Yugi!_" Tea screamed as she moved faster in order to get to the top.

When she reached the door handle, she was back in reality. She turned the faded gold knob and stepped through. On the mattress was a small teen with tri-color hair, who was asleep. He had a white, mini towel over his eyes and was breathing heavily.

Tea walked in and took a seat on the boy's chair. She watched over him with a crestfallen look on her face. As much as she wanted to take action, she could only sit and wait to see when the boy would wake up. She could not tell right away, but a part of her did not agree Yugi was suffering from a normal illness. She felt as though there was something else wrong.

"_Yugi…_."

Tea remembered from her childhood she would visit the small boy whenever he was sick. Yugi had also done the same for her. However, when the two were younger, it appeared as though Yugi would become ill often. Tea felt her own heart ache a little.

"_Yugi… you haven't been this sick in awhile_," she recalled as she placed her hands over her chest, "_Will you be all right?_"

Tea had always fantasized about moving to New York and starting her dream of studying dance. She worked hard for her grades, obtained a job to earn money for tuition and support, but a part of her was afraid to leave. Not only did she fear the unknown, she also was afraid of leaving behind her friends, especially Yugi.

Even though the boy was able to grow and was no longer the timid child she once knew, Tea was unsure of what was spinning around her mind with her friend. She wondered how much time she not only had with Yugi, but with Yami as well. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps coming from behind Yugi's door.

"Tea, we brought some ice," a student with blonde hair announced as he and another teen entered the room. He stepped over and poured some cubes into a bowl of water.

"How is he doing?" Tristan asked.

"Not so well," Tea repeated what she had been told.

She could see the old man was correct. Yugi's face was pale, and his breathing was deep but also rough. Tea sat up and removed the white cloth from the sleeping boy's face. She dipped the threads in cool water and placed it back onto Yugi's forehead. At that moment, the adolescent groaned in complete pain.

"Yugi!" everyone yelled out in unison. The small boy started to toss and turn.

"Hold on Yug!" Joey encouraged as he grabbed a strong hold on the boy.

"He might be having a nightmare," Tristan guessed as he grabbed the sheets from tangling the boy.

As the group attempted to wake the young adult up, Yugi's left sleeve pulled down. All group members gasped when they saw four gashes with one of them dripping fresh blood. Tea's eyes widen as she placed her hands over her mouth. She never suspected her friend to cut himself.

"_Yugi, you never resorted to self harm!_" she brought to mind with fear and anxiety creeping through, "_Not even when you were bullied often!_"

Her thoughts were quickly bombarded with reasons as to why her companion would do such a horrific act. Yugi always went to school in a cheerful mood, even though he was tortured physically and emotionally on a regular bases. She couldn't find any connections.

"I'll go get the First Aid kit!" Tristan announced as he quickly left the room. Joey was distracted for a bit. He was unsure of what to think. He heard about adolescents who cut themselves to relive pain when under stress, but he never figured his own buddy would do such thing.

"_Yug! What's going on, man!_" Joey had also assumed those who self harm were weak, but his views slightly changed upon seeing Yugi. Tristan entered the room as soon as he could and Tea took hold of the white box. She quickly took out an alcohol whip.

"Hold him still," she ordered. Joey continued to grab on to Yugi while Tristan took the teen's left hand and pulled down the sleeve completely.

"_This might sting_," she mentally told Yugi. She quickly washed away the crimson liquid and then quickly wrapped gauze around the boy's arm.

Soon, the ill boy stopped moving and started to relax. Everyone sighed. They were all confused about what was wrong with their friend. They had wondered about his attitude lately but were unsure of what more they could do since Yugi refused to say anything or would quickly change the subject.

"_Yugi… this isn't like you_…" Tea thought sadly to herself.

Xxx

The boy's three friends were stunned and baffled upon what they saw.

"Let's not jump to conclusions!" Joey finally yelled, catching the other two people's attention. "How do we know Yug did this?" the blonde suggested, bringing ideas about the small teen's injury to the table.

"You're saying someone else did this?" Tristan joined in, "As though someone were bullying him again?"

Tea gasped upon hearing the theory. She couldn't stand the thought of her childhood friend undergoing physical, and possibly, emotional torture again. She kept an eye on Yugi after the bond between him and the other two boys were formed. When she saw the friendship between the guys was genuine, she allowed herself to be more comfortable around them as well. She was able to see the small teen's courage grow and thought it would be best to let the past go.

"_But is Yugi doing the same thing?_" she pondered silently to herself. She snapped her head up when she heard the two boy's shuffling a bit.

"I'm not sure," Joey answered honesty, "But he hasn't been really acting like himself."

He began to recall the duel between him and his friend just before Yugi was dismissed for his fever. The slow witted teen noticed his pal was distracted. At first he truly thought it was because the boy was ill, but perhaps another reason was the true cause. Joey then glanced over towards the Puzzle. The part that caught his attention was the eye.

He reached for the necklace by the chain. The cold, metal connection was what nearly led Yugi to his doom in the burning warehouse. He nearly lost his life for the sake of the Puzzle.

Many people would have abandoned the jewelry while those who were greedy would have burned alive in an attempt to make a quick sale for the piece of gold. However, everyone was aware of the spirit that dwelled within; the main reason why Yugi risked his life to place the pieces back together and refused to let go.

Joey then drew his eye towards the center piece. It was the same piece he took when he saw the boy attempting to place the puzzle together. A part of himself was furious at himself for calling Yugi a girl and insulting him. Deep down, the tall teen was only jealous about how Yugi appeared to be so happy even when he was always by himself.

"Joey," Tristan called out breaking through his pals thoughts.

"We need to help him!" Joey yelled.

"But how?" Tea asked, feeling the same desire, "Yugi's asleep right now and doesn't feel well."

"I think this might be worse," Tristan commented.

The male teen with brown hair pulled down the small teen's sleeve. The other two friends joined in and saw the bleeding on Yugi's arm had continued. There was another mark as well that allowed the crimson liquid to fall. However, the gash that was in between had vanished.

"He may be right," Joey agreed after giving the situation some thought. Tea nodded in agreement. She could see in their eyes the same burning compassion they all shared after the vertically challenged teen fainted in the Shadow Realm at Duelist Kingdom.

The three of them placed their hands over the Puzzle. They had wanted to assist their friend in anyway possible. They knew the spirit of the Puzzle was doing all he could to help out his partner.

Xxx

Cautiously, Yugi walked down a long, dimly lit hallway.

"Huh… this all looks… familiar somehow," he observed. He continued on with his search for his final trial. Suddenly, he found some light emitting not too far from where he stood. Dashing over towards the light, he knew his challenges showed up right after he was able to see. A window was within his view, but it was foggy. He then noticed a door. He slid it open and waited a moment for his eyes to adjust.

To his right, Yugi could see a blank chalk board. Across from him was another window where the sounds of laughing children could be heard. Within the area were rows of desks, Yugi inferred he was in a classroom. He stepped in so he could get a better view of everything. He stopped when he saw a small, dark figure towards the back of the room.

The figure sat at a desk with a crumpled up paper in front. The image on it was blurry but traces of pink could be seen and it looked to be a pair of ballet shoes. Yugi took another step closer. His heart began to race. His eyes widen when the shadowy figure became clear.

"That's… me…" Yugi gasped.

Sitting at a desk all alone was a younger version of Yugi. The small boy wore a white shirt with black pants. His hair was messy and was soaking wet. Yugi took a step back. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He didn't understand why he was back within his own past, but he did not want to find out. Quickly, he left the classroom and dashed down the hallway. He did not get far as the area soon broke off into a dark pit.

Yugi stopped running and tried to maintain his balance so he would not fall off the edge. He fell backwards and landed on his rump. He breathed heavily as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down into the abyss, but his mind was scattered about what he saw.

He was confused as to why he saw his younger self. Memories began to engulf his mind. He began to remember why he was wet and why he was by himself in an empty classroom. Mixtures of depression and fear consumed his being.

_Flashback_

_ "So, what do you want to do when you grow up?" a girl with short brown hair asked. Two pre-teens were together at the back of the classroom painting. Their assignment was to illustrate what type of future they wanted._

_ "Oh… um…" a young boy with tri-color hair stuttered, "I'm… I'm not sure."_

_ He glanced down at his blank sheet of paper. He really didn't know what he wanted. He believed he was lucky enough to survive each passing day. He wasn't sure what lied beyond his career as a student in middle school._

_ The idea of starting high school was enough to scare him out of his mind. He was afraid of what other types of people his age may be there. He thought about meeting new pupils and finally making friends, but the idea quickly vanished when he began to fear the notion of being bullied once more._

_ "But… I like your pair of ballet shoes, Tea," the boy continued._

_ "Oh, thanks, Yugi," Tea giggled, "I really want to study dance when I get older."_

_ "Really? That's so cool!"_

_ "I'm glad you think so."_

_ "Where do you want to study?"_

_ "That's a secret." Tea winked._

_ Yugi was impressed with his pal's dream. He never wielded the courage himself to go on stage and perform the way Tea did. He always liked that feature about his childhood friend, the way she was very brave and filled with self-confidence._

_ The girl stood up and walked towards the front of classroom to go grab more paint. As she did, many students began to whisper among each other about the relationship between the two friends. Unfortunately for Yugi, the pre-teen was able to hear every word of it._

_ "Why is Tea always paired up with Yugi?" one student asked._

_ "Maybe the teacher made them!" another student suggested._

_ "Aw! Poor Tea!" cried a third student._

_ "She says they're only friends, but are they really?"_

_ "I can't imagine why!"_

_ "Yeah, all that Yugi-kid does is sit by himself and play those childish games."_

_ "Yeah, Tea needs a boyfriend who can control her better."_

_ As the president of the class walked from the front to the back of the room, everyone began to settle back down. She took and a seat and noticed how upset her friend was._

_ "Yugi, what's wrong?" Tea asked._

_ "…N-nothing…" Yugi mumbled._

_ Filled with frustration, the girl sighed; she did not believe her friend. She understood the troubles he went through and tried her best to be there for him. However, she knew there was only so much she could do._

_ "Yugi, you need to stand up for yourself." Tea finally stated. The boy glanced up from his blank page towards his companion with soft, friendly blue eyes. Yugi couldn't help but be filled with a strange emotion upon meeting the pair always filled with compassion._

_ "People won't know how you feel unless you tell them," she continued, "Here, why don't you take this for a little inspiration? I can always make a new one tonight for homework."_

_ Yugi nodded; he believed his friend was correct. He was grateful to receive a gift from his pal whom he cared about very much. Looking at the painting with admiration, he was glad to have someone like Tea by his side._

_ Tea stood up and went to gather her supplies. As she did, Yugi knew what he wanted to paint. He reached for his brush and dipped it into yellow paint. He went into a circle on the white sheet and filled it in. Next, he reached for black and worked into a little detail within the yellow figure. He smiled when he looked down at his completed work._

_ "I only wish to have a happier future," he thought to himself as he looked at his smiley face._

_ The bell rang, and the two friends departed. Tea had another class while Yugi had lunch. He longed to have the same break period as his companion, but he did not want to seem like a lost puppy who followed around a child. He placed his belongings in his locker. He then walked across campus to try and find an empty classroom. He didn't like to be in the same room as other people, even if they were not in his grade. He hated the stares and whispers coming from the other students._

_ He stopped walking for a moment and sighed. He longed to have a companion to play games with he brought everyday. He never liked playing any sports since he believed any team he was placed on would just lose. Though he often had been told it's the way a game is played, he didn't like the looks coming from his teammates._

_ Lost in emotions, Yugi almost scrunched a paper within his hands. He stopped and looked down at it. He was glad he had not gone through with his action, otherwise he would have crumpled his gift from Tea. He continued on walking. He only had to cross the school's pool to arrive at his destination._

_ "Hey, Yugi," called out a voice. The pre-teen froze in fear. He knew where the voice came from. Because the school was not big, everyone knew who Yugi Muto was. The bullies were able to make him an easy target. They were aware no one would stand up for him and how easy it was to make him cry. Yugi snapped into reality when he saw a tall, heavy student walked towards him._

_ "Gimme your lunch money," the student demanded with greed. Yugi didn't know what to do. He had already left for school in the morning without eating breakfast and was nearly starving. Despite that, he knew it would be easiest to hand over his change and he might be left alone without any scrapes._

_ But, he was tired of brainstorming excuses for his injuries and why his underwear was always outstretched. He hated having to lie to his family, but he didn't like the idea of himself being a burden on them. He was too afraid his father may quit his job in order to be around more, or have the pre-teen transfer to a different school and away from Tea. Yugi reached into his pocket when the bully reached for the paper in Yugi's hands._

_ "What's this?" the bully mocked._

_ "Hey! That's mine!" Yugi protested._

_ "Why would a guy like you being carrying around a…. picture of… ballet shoes? With pink laces?"_

_ "That's a gift from Tea!"_

_ "Ooo… a gift from your girlfriend?"_

_ "Hey! She's… just being polite… to everyone she meets."_

_ "Well, whatever. Just give me the money and I might let you go free."_

_ Yugi began to wonder if the bond between him and Tea was true. The girl was often polite to everyone and was seen talking and hanging out with almost everyone among their peer groups. But the words Tea had said echoed into Yugi's mind. Whenever he was around Tea, a different atmosphere was created between them than with anyone else. He believed now was the time to stand up for himself if he was to ever reach his future of happiness._

_ "N-no." Yugi denied, trying to act brave._

_ "What'd you say?" the bully questioned annoyed._

_ "I said no!" Yugi repeated firmly._

_ He noticed his own voice sounded more confident. He could feel his heart beat faster as his whole body become engulfed with adrenaline. The bully, on the other hand, was losing his patients. He punched Yugi across the face, causing the small boy to fall to the ground._

_ Yugi tried to stand up but was knocked down once more. With one eye, he gazed around the campus and could see other students, but they were all just staring. Yugi shut his eyes in defeat. He knew no one would come over to help him. His confidence within himself stated to diminish._

_ Yugi slowly stood up. With his hands trembling, he reached into his pocket once more for his money. When he pulled out his change, he noticed the bully still had his gift from Tea. Yugi did not wish to see a painting from Tea get ruined. He then had an idea. He lifted his hand up and the coin reflected brightly against the sun._

_ "Is this what you want?" Yugi asked with the bully staring into the glow with greed. Yugi then folded his hand and tossed the money with him saying, "Then go get it!"_

_ The pre-teen threw the money into the school's pool. The bill started to become soggy while the coins sank towards the bottom. The male student could not believe what he saw. Many of the other students were awestruck, too. They never thought to see such an act come from Yugi Muto. The bully then changed his view from the water towards the small boy. Yugi began to quake in fear as he realized what he had done._

_ "Not the best choice, Muto," the bully stated with raw anger. Yugi was too fearful to move. He appeared like a deer caught in a car's headlights. The bully crumpled the paper in his hands. The sounds of the paper caused Yugi's heart to almost stop beating._

_ "Wait! Stop!" Yugi begged when he saw his gift crushed between the grip of the heavy student. The bully noticed how his victim's eyes began to look watery. He then thought of a plan to get his revenge against the student who tossed away what he believed to be his._

_ "You think that was funny?" the bully asked in a mocking tone. He scrunched the paper even more. He then raised his hands and tossed the gift towards the same body of water. As he did he added, "Then this must be fucking hilarious!"_

_ "No!" Yugi cried when he saw his gift become wet._

_ Trying to race over towards the pool, his body suddenly made contact with the student's fist. He fell to the floor. He was then lifted up and received another punch to his face. He was on his feet but was unable to use his legs. He then felt a hand go down behind his pants. Yugi yelled out in pain as the bully stretched out the boy's underwear from behind._

_ He was then dropped to the ground with the sound of laughter fading away. Tears stated to fall down the pre-teen's face. He only wanted to stand up for himself and received a beating. He knew the same bully would be after him the next day, and Yugi knew he could do nothing._

_ Slowly, Yugi stood up. He glanced over towards the water. As he fixed his underwear, he ran over towards the pool as quickly as he could. Within his view, the boy was able to see his gift. The water had dissolved parts of the paper and the image became blurry. He glanced around and saw how many of the students whispered then began to leave._

_ "I had hoped for a happy future," he thought as he took off his shoes, "But maybe I should just be an animal on display… like the ones at the zoo... or a circus."_

_ He sighed then jumped into the water._

_End flashback_

The teen with the tri-color hair buried his face into his legs that he pulled closer to himself and began to cry.

From that point on, any time he was threaten, the teen would immediately give in. When he did, he rarely was beaten up. He began to believe everything would be easier if he gave in. He did not want to cause anyone harm. He also did not wish to be a burden to his family nor his only companion.

Later on when he finally made friends, he was often lectured by them, telling him to stand up for himself. He was also told by his darker half to believe in himself. As much as Yugi wanted to, he felt he could not. He was able to assist his friends when they were experiencing problems, but he felt as though he was not able to do the same for himself.

Yugi could feel his arm burning but did not care. He fully embraced the thought he did not have the strength nor courage to go on. He tried several times to believe in himself, but often believed as though nothing was happening.


	6. Chapter 6

All three of them glanced down at Yugi. For a moment, he appeared to be resting peacefully. However, they all understood from past experiences the situation will turn worst before it could become better. None of them could believe their friend was not only having another trial within the Shadow Realm, but he was also suffering from a physical disease. At that moment, the female teen member dashed out.

"Tea! Where are you going!" Joey asked.

"I need to go get something!" Tea answered.

She raced down the hallway towards a closet. Sliding the door open, her eyes scan the shelves. Among seeing a vacuum cleaner, rolls of toilet paper, and towels, she finally saw what she was looking for. As she reached for the item, she noticed how quiet the house was. She assumed the other two Muto members were either out or were being extra quiet in order for Yugi to rest. Quickly, she went back towards the ill teen's room.

"What were you looking for?" Tristan asked calmly.

"This." Tea replied as she took a bag and ripped it open.

The package fell onto the floor. The male teen with brown hair picked up the item and read the object was a heating pad. He then passed it to Joey and walked closer towards Yugi. He gently removed the covers. As he did, the blonde adolescent understood the plan so he walked over and carefully moved Yugi's pajama top up. Tea leaned over and placed the heating pad on Yugi's abdominal area.

"Hopefully this will help ease his stomach," she explained her idea to her two friends. The two boys nodded their heads in agreement as they repositioned Yugi's top and bed sheets.

They were grateful to have someone like Tea, who was able to treat both physical and emotional wounds. Tea took a seat on a chair and gripped her friend's small hand tightly. She waited with anxiety for she knew a Shadow Game was never an easy task. Her childhood friend was alone in these challenges for they were design to test him.

"_Yugi, please be all right_," she prayed, "_I know you can make it through this; you've been through tougher times_."

The boy turned to his side a little. His pajama top caught between his sheets and slid down a little. The two male teen's eyes widen a bit when they saw a burn mark on Yugi's left shoulder.

"Woah, when did Yug get that burn?" Joey questioned with fascination and worry. He did not remember seeing any other marks upon the boy's body other than the gashes on his left arm. The blonde also did not recall his buddy coming into contact with fire other than the gloomy incident at the abandoned warehouse.

"That looked like it hurt." Tristan remarked with curiosity.

"That's from… when we were young…" Tea informed quietly. The two boys looked over at their female friend and saw her eyes were filled with grief, yet gratifying at the same time.

"Who did that to him?" the male teen with brown hair asked.

"It happened when we were in middle school." Tea answered with her voice becoming a bit shaky, "Yugi was avoiding me, and for awhile I didn't know why."

"What!" Joey yelled in disbelief. He could not comprehend as to why his small friend would ever treat the person he cared about in such a manner. "Why was he doing that!"

"He was trying to protect me," the female teen respond. The two boys looked at each perplexed. They then return their glances towards Tea. Tristan decided to asked, "From who? What was going on?"

_Flashback_

_"Hey, Yugi," a young version of Tea greeted. A little boy with tri-color hair sat at his desk alone. He had a deck of cards scattered around and was looking at a game book. He glanced up and greeted back softly, "Hi, Tea."_

_"It's been awhile since we've been able to talk," Tea stated with her usual, cheery smile, "Do you want to do something after school today?"_

_Looking back towards his book, his facial expression tried to hide his worried feelings. He decided to answer, "I'm sorry, but I'm kinda busy."_

_"That's what you said last time." Tea replied a bit annoyed. She suspected her friend was lying to her. As it pained her to admit, she knew Yugi was not as occupied as he claimed to be. Although she did not understand why the boy was doing such a thing, she wanted to spend time with her small pal._

_Outside the classroom, voices of students who shuffled through the hallway outside could be heard. As panic entered his mind, Yugi gathered his materials as he quickly replied, "I'm sorry."_

_He then quickly left the room._

_"What's with him?" Tea sighed as she placed her hands on her hips._

_End Flashback_

_"I then found out he was avoiding me in order to save me from my so called friends and popularity." Tea continued._

_Flashback_

_"Yugi, that isn't your decision to make," a girl with short brown hair and blue eyes said, "I decide who I want to be friends with… Popularity doesn't mean much in the end."_

_The small boy did not reply. He only looked down at the ground with a feeling of embarrassment and shame. He knew his friend was correct, but the world around him was saying otherwise._

_"Yugi," Tea called out. The pre-teen glanced back up. He looked over his friend's shoulder, and his eyes grew wide. He knew he had to leave, "I should get going."_

_"Yugi, you're not going anywhere." Tea ordered as she grabbed her buddy by his sleeve, "We're not done talking."_

_"But-" Yugi tried to argue when he was cut off by a student who had called out Tea's name. The girl who was named turned to see her so called companions with their boyfriends, the same ones who enjoyed picking on Yugi._

_"What are you doing with him?" one girl asked._

_"I'm just having a chat with my friend." Tea answered sharply. She had enough of being told who she should be with. She wanted to be treated as a person, and not exist only for the amusement of others._

_"Why," another girl asked, "It doesn't seem like that. It seems more like you're a mother bird looking out for a baby who can't take care of himself."_

_Tea couldn't find an answer to the statement. She never really thought about why she chose to hang out with someone like Yugi. The two had just simply always known each other since they were young. She looked down at the ground as she attempted to piece together an answer, but could not._

_Yugi looked over towards his only friend. He couldn't stand to see her unhappy. She was willing to sacrifice her own friendship and popularity so she could be with him. Yugi didn't want Tea to feel inferior to the group of misfits. He wanted to stand up for his friend like she had been doing for him._

_"Why don't you just leave her alone!" Yugi finally stated. The girl with brown hair looked over towards the boy. He took a few steps and stood right in front of the girl._

_"She hasn't done anything to you guys." Yugi continued, "She's only being polite to anyone she meets. I don't see what's wrong with that."_

_There was silence among the group. Tea looked over at the brave student with awe._

_"I have never seen Yugi like this," she noted, "What caused him to suddenly change?"_

_Just then, one of the boys smiled a wicked smile._

_"Guess you're not as weak as we thought," he said calmly as he exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigarette, "Perhaps we could help gain your popularity."_

_"I don't want your opinions." Yugi replied with backbone and nerve._

_"What," the boy asked as his smile diminished._

_"It's just like Tea said, who cares?" the small boy repeated. The ring leader of the group was unsatisfied with the response he received. He snapped his fingers and when he did, the two taller boys grabbed Yugi by his shoulders and upper arms._

_"Leave him alone!" Tea ordered. Despite her command, the bully chose not to respond to her._

_"What do you want…" Yugi asked calmly, not wanting to abandoned Tea._

_"Ya know, standing up for your girlfriend isn't a bad thing," the main bully said._

_"He's not my boyfriend!" Tea snapped, feeling embarrassed, "He's just a friend who happens to be a boy!"_

_For a moment, hurt flashed within Yugi's eyes, but he continued to stand his ground._

_"Perhaps we won't do so much damage if you do one thing," the mean child persuaded. He reached for a cartridge from his pocket, took out a fresh cigarette, and instructed haughtily, "All you have to do is smoke one of these."_

_"Why would I want to do that?" Yugi questioned plainly._

_"Because it'll make you look cool," the bully explained, "Since you're going into high school, why not start off with looking cool a bit younger? They're sure to have respect for you."_

_The boy lit up the white stick and held it in front of his victim's face. Yugi was quiet. Tea waited anxiously for her friend to answer. She could feel her heart beat rapidly against her chest. She didn't want her friend to fall into peer pressure because of her. Her eyes widen a bit when she heard, "No way."_

_Yugi held a look of confidence on his face. He then explained, "I don't need to start a disgusting habit to make friends in high school. I want friends who like me for who I am."_

_"Don't talk that way to our boss!" one of the body guards yelled nearly shattering Yugi's eardrum. The main bully looked annoyed._

_"Fine then," he replied coldly, "Have it your way."_

_He strolled over towards Yugi and pulled down the boy's white shirt. Yugi tried to break free but could not. The ring leader placed the hot, burning stick on his victim's shoulder. Closing his eyes in agony, Yugi yelled as the flaming sensation burned through his skin._

_"Yugi!" Tea screamed. When the fire went out, the bully flicked away the cigarette and mocked, "You'll never get friends like that. Who would want to hang out with someone as weak as you?"_

_The two body guards released Yugi and walked away with the other female students. The petite child fell to the floor, relieved it was all over. Tea rushed over towards Yugi's side and placed her hands on her friend's shoulder for comfort. Yugi opened one eye as he asked, "Are you all right?"_

_Tea smiled. She couldn't help but feel gratitude towards her buddy for standing up for her. She didn't understand why the sudden change but was glad to see the pre-teen finally standing up for himself._

_"Yes," she answered, "What about you?"_

_"It just stings a little," he answered. Tea helped Yugi stand up._

_"Let's go and place some cool water over the burn," she suggested with care._

_The girl then leaned over and gave a small, quick kiss on Yugi's cheek._

_End Flashback_

"I was very grateful for Yugi's help." Tea said as she continued watching over her friend. She was able to tell the difference between Yugi and her former classmates who claimed to be her pals. Even though she made many acquaintances with some of her other peer groups in high school, the girl still chose to hang out with her friends she had made through Yugi. Although she wanted more female pals, she was glad to be in a group that accepted her for who she was, the same desire Yugi retained as well.

"But didn't Yugi tell anyone else what was going on!" Tristan asked, a bit alarmed how his friend was treated before they met.

"Yeah! I don't think his parents and Gramps were unaware to the markings on Yug!" Joey added.

"He told me the reason why he didn't want to tell his parents was because he didn't want his parents to get new jobs since the closest school was a little far away." Tea explained, "He told me he would be able to make it through school, and he was willing to stand up for himself and try new activities in high school."

Joey and Tristan looked at each other. They then glanced back over at the sleeping boy.

"_She probably doesn't know it, but that kiss must have meant a lot to Yugi_." Tristan thought to himself, "_Like a hero in a comic book saving a damsel in distress, he received a kiss as a reward for his heroic effort._"

"_Wow, standing up for Tea like that, wanting to take care of his family, believing violence wouldn't solve anything_…" Joey closed his eyes and grinned a little, "_Maybe he was already a man before I came along_…"

Flashback

_"What's going on!" a young adult in a sapphire school uniform demanded to know. Three tall, muscular teens glanced towards the blonde in an ally, all with the same clothing. What concerned the blonde adolescent with honey colored eyes the most was the group had encircled his pal, a small boy with tri-color hair._

_"This ain't got nothing to do with you," one of the bullies stated._

_"Oh, I think it does." Joey replied as he punched one fist into his hand._

_"Joey! Don't!" Yugi pleaded. He recently was able to make companions and enjoyed the time he spent with the one called Joey. Yugi did not want to see his new friend get hurt because of him._

_"Relax Yug," the slow witted young adult reassured, "It's all good."_

_"Since when are you friends with him?" one of the bullies asked as he raised an eyebrow at the situation, "Last time I checked, you were the one picking on him."_

_Joey was quiet. He regretted some of his actions and words towards the petite boy. But he wanted to show his concern for his new friend by not allowing anyone to pick on the boy. He also wanted to demonstrate his gratitude towards Yugi; showing him what it meant to be a friend._

_"That was a past life," said another, familiar voice. Everyone turned to see Tristan, who was standing in front of Yugi. Within the brunette's eyes, they showed he was ready and willing to take any punches, kicks, or even bullets. Glad his own life had changed for the better, he stated with a smile, "Things are different now."_

_"As usual, you're late to the party man!" Joey said with a grin._

_"Ain't no party without me!" Tristan replied._

_"Get them!" the ring leader ordered._

_The fight was on._

_The two male teens did their best to defend their new buddy. After several punches, the other two bullies ran off as they realized they were no match. The last one who remained managed to bypass the young adults and punch Yugi in his gut. The boy gasped in pain and fell to his knees as he clutched his abdominal area. Distressful thoughts began to enter the teen and a few tears slid down._

_Joey was now filled with rage. He slammed one fist into the guy's face, knocking out a few teeth. The bully sprinted off in fear. The blonde tried to catch his breath as he watched the coward speed off. A part of him felt sick for ever mistreating someone like Yugi. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Tristan say, "Yugi? Are you ok?"_

_Joey raced over and knelt down along with the other two. The small teen opened one eye and looked towards his new friends. The two stood by his side and did not leave him when he was having trouble. They both had looks of not only concern but also compassion on their faces, expressions the young boy yearned to see throughout his life but never really had a chance to experience himself._

_Until now._

_"I'm… fine," the small boy managed to choke as tears streamed down his face._

_"Yug!" Joey called alarmed, "What's wrong, bud! Did they hurt you anywhere else!"_

_Yugi shook his head but allowed the tears to continue to fall. Joey and Tristan looked at each other confused and concerned. They assisted Yugi to stand up and walked with him to his home, which later became a new hang out place for everyone. Little did the two know, the tears Yugi conceived were of happiness and joy as the young boy was relieved to have friends to help him out._

_End flashback_

A glimpse of light caught the male teen's eyes. He glanced towards Yugi's desk. On it were a gold, upside down pyramid, a deck constructed from packets of Duel Monster cards, and a letter from Domino University addressed towards Yugi.

"_Come on Yug_," Joey cheered on mentally, "_Don't leave us like this! We still got so much to do before graduation!_"

"_Yugi, sometimes we need a little pain in order to make ourselves strong_." Tristan thought, "_And you've been proof of that_."

"_Yugi, I promised that I wouldn't tell your parents_." Tea reflected, "_Would you have been mad if I did?_"


	7. Chapter 7

The teen with the tri-color hair woke up sometime the next morning. He slept throughout the entire evening and night of the previous day. His stomach caused him a little discomfort, but the pain was not as great as before. A little moan slipped through his lips.

He tilted his head and glanced towards his clock. He hadn't realized he slept through most of the morning. He then changed his view towards his ceiling. His friends were at school while he was still stuck in bed.

He longed to be with them before their time was up, as graduation was approaching sooner and sooner. Yugi understood with each passing day, the time where everyone would leave for their own path was coming. He was a tad frighten at this and depressed by it.

Yami noticed how upset and worried the young adult was, even though he had just woken up. The other day the boy had completed his five trials but was completely baffled upon the aftermath. The dark spirit then thought back towards his horrific visions of his partner's past. The boy's grades were low and perhaps it was the reason Yugi was anxious about having his work done before the whole stomach ulcer incident was made.

/Don't worry,/ Yami tried to reassure, /Tea and everyone else agreed they would assist you with your homework when you return to school./

Yugi sighed. He felt like a burden. He caused his friends to be perturbed about him during school hours, and they would now spend their spare time assisting him with his work he was capable of completing on his own.

/Everything will be taken care of./ Yami tried to comfort his apprehensive friend. The teen only nodded. He shut his eyes and fell back asleep. His darker half took a seat and smiled. He was glad the boy was able to win the Shadow Game. He now only had to wait for his companion to recover.

"_Things were hard in the past_," he reflected as he watched his partner sleep, "_But everything will soon be better_."

In the early afternoon, there was a gentle knock on the door. A tired teen opened his eyes part way. He tilted his head to the side a little.

"Yugi? Are you awake?" asked a woman's voice.

"Yeah." Yugi answered. A woman with short, maroon hair entered her son's room. She had with her a phone in her hands.

"Your father's on the other line," she informed softly, "Would you like to speak with him?"

The boy nodded with fatigue but also joy. In the past he was always excited to hear from his father, for the man was busy with his job and traveling. Now that Yugi was older, he was more patient and tried to take every opportunity to speak with his dad. He slowly sat up and rubbed one of his eyes. He accepted the phone after his mother handed it to him.

"Hello?" Yugi said still a little sleepy.

"Hello, Yugi?" asked the opposite end with care.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Heh, it's good to hear from you. Heard you received a letter from Domino University, know what it regards?"

"I… I hadn't a chance to read it yet."

"I think it's quite nice you're thinking about attending; I went there, you know."

"Yeah, Grandpa told me."

"Ah I remember my times there… I was able to get around on a scooter while everyone else took their skateboards or bikes. Guess you may be needing one as well."

"And a laptop, too."

"Yes, your mother and I have been preparing for your future ever since your were little. But if you decided to go else where, I'm sure we can find a way to work around what you want."

Yugi was silent. His conversation with his father finally registered in his hazy mind. He had forgotten about some of his problems before entering the Shadow Realm. He appeared to have a fever when really he was playing games for his life. Now that he was back, he still never received his answer. He was suppose to help the spirit, but still had a future of his own. A future partially decided by his parents who wished to see him in college. Yugi wasn't sure of what to think. He wanted to take charge of his own will but still wasn't sure how. He felt as though he was still relying on everyone and not the strength of his own.

"Hello? Yugi?" the other line asked. The teen snapped back into reality. He decided to quickly respond and change the subject, "How's your trip so far?"

"It's going fine… I heard though you weren't feeling well, everything all right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well it's not everyday someone gets a stomach ulcer. Should I cancel my trip and come back home?"

"What! No!" Yugi shouted causing everyone to become alarm. He looked around and felt a bit embarrassed.

"Err… I mean… I'm fine… I'm," the teen swallowed a lump in his throat, "I'm almost in college, Dad. I'll be ok."

"If you say so," the other line said. His tone gave away a hint he felt a tad amused about his son's antics.

"Really, I can take care of myself," the boy tried to persuade, "Here's Mom."

Yugi handed the phone over to his mother. She accepted the device and walked out as she continued on with speaking to her husband.

The teen stared down at his sheets. He only shouted his response in that manner because his father had worked hard for his position. Yugi believed it would be unfair for his dad to take off time from his job and not earn his income all because his irresponsible son had fallen ill. The teen was glad he was able to not worry his parents so much after the completion of the Puzzle and meeting new people. But now he was worrying them even more because he was still sick.

Yugi then looked at his wrist. Below his pajama top laid a bandaged arm. He was lucky no one else had seen them. He was unsure of what he was in control of, whether it was the future or his everyday life. At that moment, Yugi's stomach tighten a little. He winced a little in pain as he grasped his abdominal area.

/Yugi, are you all right,/ asked his spirit friend. The adolescent nodded after the sting left. He slowly lowered himself back down on his mattress. He didn't feel too tried like he had moments before. After the brief conversation with his parent, Yugi was awake and had difficulty falling back to sleep.

/Is everything all right between you and your father?/ Yami asked as he noticed his light's tone and tensed expression.

/Yeah…/ Yugi replied honestly.

/Then would you be all right if your father came and visited you?/

/… It wouldn't be fair…/

/What do you mean?/

/… Dad worked hard for his job. It wouldn't be fair if he had to leave early just to take care of me./

/But Yugi, it would be fine if he left for a bit. There wouldn't be anything wrong with having a visit from someone who cared about you./

/I know… But… I'll be fine./

Yami nodded; he understood his partner and did not wish to have the teen waste his energy arguing. He also trusted the boy for he always appeared to be cheerful whenever he talked with or about his family.

Yugi kept his hands over his abdominal area over the blanket. He reflected about the conversation between his father, mother, and darker half. He closed his eyes and tiredly thought, "_I'm not a child anymore_."

He then awoke a few hours later and glanced around. He could see he was in his room alone. He assumed the pharaoh was in the Puzzle to give him some privacy. Yugi felt a little relief; he didn't want to hear any lectures nor orders telling him to sleep and take it easy so he could recover.

He sat up as he rubbed his eyes. He then heard voices from downstairs. He could tell one of the voices belonged to his mother, the other was a stranger. The house was quiet all around. The boy listened carefully and was able to hear pieces of the conversation.

"So how is moving towards a bigger city going for you?" asked Yugi's mother.

"It's so swell!" answered the stranger, who appeared to be a woman, "There are a _lot _of people though."

"I can imagine so!"

"How's Domino treating you?"

"Fine, I have a nice job here, and my husband has been doing plenty of business trips."

"Is that hard on the family?"

"It was difficult at first, but we've all gotten use to it. He really likes being able to see new cities and meet new people."

"And how's your son? I can't believe you actually have a kid!"

"Oh stop it! Yugi is such a wonderful child!"

"Is he at school right now?"

"No, he's up in his room. He's been feeling a little unwell."

Yugi tighten his sheets between his hands. His mother had given him a compliment to someone he had never met before. However, he didn't feel he was the wonderful child like his mother had said.

He believed he was causing her an inconvenience as he should be in school and not at home with his stomach pains. He suddenly could hear footsteps approaching towards his room. The door opened and Yugi saw his mother.

"How do you feel," she asked with care when she saw her son was awake.

"Fine," the boy answered, "Um… Mom, who's that downstairs?"

"That's an old friend of mine from high school," the woman responded with a smile on her face, "She's visiting from out of town."

Yugi could see in her eyes she was a bit lost in her memories.

"Oh," the boy replied, "Then are you going to show her around town?"

Yugi saw his mother's smile faded a bit. He felt his heart sank as he could tell he caused his mother to be sadden by something.

"I'm taking care of you now," she finally answered. The teen started to feel guilty. He stared down at his sheets as he began to think. Since the woman had a friend from high school over, there must have been a gap in the years they've known each other. Yugi did not wish for his mother to miss an opportunity to catch up with an old friend.

"Mom, why don't you go ahead and do that," the adolescent suggested.

"What?" she asked, a bit surprised about her son's idea.

"It'll be… fine." Yugi tried to persuade, "I'll be ok… Really. And besides, Grandpa will be here, too."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked as she cared about her son's well being. Yugi nodded with assurance. He knew had to take responsibility and not hold anyone back, and that included family members. The woman leaned over and kissed her son on his forehead.

"Go ahead and sleep then," she said, "I'll be back later."

Yugi's mother left the room. The young adult placed himself back on his bed. He couldn't stand being a burden to his mother. The woman worked hard for her job and was lucky to be able to see an old friend. Had Yugi not been sick, she might have spent the entire day till late at night with her old buddy.

Yugi drifted off into sleep. He awoke in the middle of the night. He glanced towards his clock and saw it read 2:00 a.m.

"_Guess I slept through a possible visit from my friends_." Yugi thought sadly. He looked towards his desk and noticed some textbooks and worksheets.

He assumed his friends still came by and dropped his homework and class assignments. He sighed with discontent. The reason why the teen was so anxious to not fall behind was because he knew colleges looked at students' grades. Even though he wasn't the smartest in his class, Yugi tried even harder to raise up his scores so he would have a better chance to get into any college that would take him.

He shifted his view towards the ceiling and had his hands relax over his stomach above his sheets. Everything around him appeared different as objects were somewhat defined by the light of the pale moon in the vast sky above. Yugi wondered what time his mother arrived. He was curious as to whether or not she had a good time reuniting with her friend from high school. He also recalled his mother had stated his father enjoyed being in new locations with new people. He did not want to drag his father away from something he loved. Yugi started to feel guilty once more.

"_If I had been a sleep… then maybe Mom might not have gone out with her friend_…" The adolescent sighed. He remembered his mother's companion couldn't believe she had a child. He wondered why that was. He never knew what type of students his parents were.

Truth be told though, he loved his mother.

She always took care of him.

He loved his father, too, for the man would always place his family before himself.

He loved his grandparents as well.

They were around often and spend their time with their grandson.

Yugi began to ponder about his future past college. He was interested if he would ever have kids of his own. He wondered what they would be like. He was curious if any of them would like to play games, like he was fortunate enough to play with his own father and grandfather. He only prayed they would not have to undergo the same loneliness he did. He didn't want anyone to suffer in the way he did.

He remembered how his family tried to help him out. He knew they meant well; families were there to help each other out, but he often believed he was only more responsibility to them. He was embarrassed he was too shy to speak up. He was ashamed about himself for being timid. He noticed when he was dueling himself, even though the figment was created by the Shadows, Yugi believed the Shadows had captured his younger self perfectly.

A small form with no voice.

At that moment, the teen's stomach started to make a strange noise. Suddenly, a vast, sharp sting entered. The agony was similar to the first wave of pain that came right before the teen was rushed to the hospital. Yugi bolted up from his position. He held one hand on his stomach as he cried out in agony.

/Yugi!/ Yami called out. He came out of the Puzzle as he sensed a strong, painful sensation coming from his light.

The ill teen closed his eyes tightly. He continued on with one hand on his stomach while the other was clinched into a fist on his bed sheets. He started to breath in gaps as he tried to lower his torture level.

Yami raced over towards the teen. He placed his hands on the boy's shoulder for comfort. Although he had no physical hold, the spirit wanted to show he was still there for his small companion.

Slowly, Yugi made his way back onto his mattress. He still had his eyes closed and his breathing remained rough. Yami watched in pain but knew he could do nothing. He knelt down and replaced his hand on Yugi's shoulder. After the eternity minute passed, the boy was at ease.

/Yugi, are you all right?/ the spirit asked in a calm manner but was very worried about his light's health.

/I… I think… so…/ the teen answered tiredly. The pain he underwent stole his energy. He was growing weary and felt too exhausted to keep up a basic conversation with his darker half.

/Go ahead and sleep./ Yami encouraged as he playfully brushed away the boy's bang from his face, /I'll be here when you wake up./

Yugi partially nodded in agreement. His breathing returned to normal as his last moment of discomfort left him. His form was completely out of stamina. Allowing himself to surrender, he entered back into the world of sleep. Yami took a seat back on Yugi's chair. He watched over his partner carefully.

"_Yugi was fine until a few moments ago_," the spirit observed, "_What now?_"

The teen slept without any trouble until the very late morning of the following day. When he awoke, he was still very groggy with his body aching and mind hazy.

/How do you feel?/ Yami asked as gently as he could.

/Tired… But I'm fine./ Yugi answered weakly.

He closed his eyes and place one hand on his head. He felt a little bit of headache forming. The event that took place last night crashed into him like a harsh wave against a cliff. He then noticed an extra blanket on top of him.

"Your grandpa placed over the extra blanket this morning." Yami explained softly. Yugi persisted to be mute; he only shut his eyes . Because there was no threat at the moment, Yami decided to return to the Puzzle and allow his friend to continue to rest.

After the spirit was gone, the adolescent lied in bed tiredly for a bit. He tried to relax himself so he would not have to endure another set of pain, like he had twice already. Several minutes passed by, and they were quite peaceful. But then, the teen was able to hear something from downstairs.

"What was… that?" Yugi whispered to himself as he maintained the energy to sit up. He thought he heard familiar voices coming from within the game shop area. Carefully, he stepped out of bed and wrapped a blanket around himself. He heard his grandfather speaking downstairs, and he was able to make out some parts of the conversation. The talk was about Duel Monsters. Yugi knew the voices did not belong to his friends, but most of the sounds intrigued him.

Before leaving, he looked over towards his desk and glanced at the gold pyramid. He shook his head and told himself he needed to investigate the matter on his own; otherwise he would rely on the pharaoh forever and could not face his own problems. Attentively, he walked down the hallway and down the steps. He walked into a bright flash and was now in the game shop part of the house.

"Hey! Look!" called a friendly voice. Yugi blinked a few times and was able to see four other young adults, one girl and three boys. Two of them were people he had recently met.

"Err… Hello Eichi and Yuna." Yugi greeted.

"Hey, Yugi!" Eichi greeted happily, "I suppose this is where you live, huh?"

"Well, duh!" Yuna stated sarcastically, "The newspaper practically bolded all his information after he won Battle City and was mentioned in the KC Grand Pix."

Yugi blushed a little; he was never too great with handling other people and became bashful.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about being in your pajamas." Eichi assumed, "I've seen plenty of people rush to class from the dorms in their pajamas."

"Others are just too lazy to change." Yuna laughed.

"Hey! I take offense to that," another male asserted.

"Yugi, you know these people?" the owner of the Turtle Game store asked. Yugi softly nodded.

"Oh please excuse us!" a third person with short, crimson hair exclaimed, "My name is Aoi, and this is Izumi! We're all from Domino University and are part of the Duel Monsters club!"

The one named Izumi had short blonde hair and solid gray eyes. He walked over and shook hands with Solomon and Yugi.

"You're the founder of the Duel Monsters club?" Yugi gasped a bit surprised.

"Yes, that's me." Izumi stated calmly, "We all came to buy some cards. I was also hoping to hear your response."

"Response?" Yugi blinked confused, "To what?"

"To the letter that was sent to you," the president of the club clarified.

"Oh… I'm sorry. I haven't had a chance to look at anything since I've been a little… sick." Yugi stated as he glanced away. What he said was a bit of the truth and believed it would be best to not disclose too much information.

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that." Yuna said with a gentle smile, "I hope you feel better soon!"

"Well, I'll be brief about the letter." Izumi informed, "Domino University is hoping you will accept their invitation to attend classes there, and you will receive a scholarship for tuition."

"What!" Yugi and Solomon asked shocked. Izumi nodded and continued, "I was informed you stopped by and showed some interest in our club and school. As president, I was able to speak with the administration office and they were quite excited. You may not even have to pay for textbooks."

Yugi was speechless. He was too stunned to say anything; he never expected to receive such a gift. He debated if he should accept the invite so he would not worry his family about money and he could possibly stay home.

"Of course, you don't have to agree to this." Aoi informed, understanding the pressure of the petite teen. "I'm pretty sure with your titles you'll be able to attend anywhere. But we would really like if you could come with us!"

The teen gazed around at the college students. They all appeared to be so happy with what they were studying for while attending Domino University. The small boy then glanced towards the floor to think in silence.

"Well… I'm not sure…" Yugi finally replied.

"Hey, don't stress!" Eichi tried to comfort, "You still have plenty of time to make a decision. You can also just transfer to or from Domino University if you like. I've known people who do that with community colleges. They start out at a community college and then move on to a university. Others take university classes during the school year and then summer courses at a community college and have their credits transfer. Some do that so they can graduate early, or make classes to graduate on time."

Yugi swallowed nervously as he learned some new information. He wondered what bad habits he would carry along for his new classes.

"But it would be awesome if we could take that Duel Monsters art class together!" Aoi exclaimed excitedly.

"Duel Monsters art class?" Yugi asked surprised.

"Well, we don't have one yet." Yuna explained, "But Izumi is trying to work on it."

Yugi glanced over towards the young adult with gray eyes. Although he gave off an icy aura, Izumi appeared to be someone who was interested in the trading card game and did whatever he could to make his vision a reality.

"I don't see why not," the blonde adult stated, "The game did originate in Egypt. We could get an H credit for history and an ART credit for, I dunno, designing our own card?"

"Wow!" Yugi said with amazement. He then became quiet. He wondered how the group in front of him was able to get along so well. He knew college was suppose to help prepare students for taking jobs. He was curious if all these students were in the same position.

"I hope you don't mind me asking," Yugi began with his attention drawn to Izumi, "But do you plan to work with Duel Monsters all your life?"

"Actually, Izumi is doing stuff in business!" Aoi stated, "What a dork!"

"At least I _have _a major," the blonde grumbled.

"Hey! Having a major in English _is _something," the redhead argued back.

"But I'll have a J-O-B after I graduate." Izumi boasted with pride.

"_Right_, because having an internship at Kaiba Corp. is _so _promising." Eichi joined in.

"Not to mention the head boss is indeed younger than you." Aoi chuckled.

"Yeah, I know." Izumi sighed, "It does feel a bit odd."

"Kaiba Corp.?" Yugi questioned.

He was lost in thought once more. He never dreamed working with Duel Monsters, other than being in a game shop, was possible. He then remembered his rival, technically Yami's rival. The tall adolescent with brunette hair was a workaholic, who still went with what he enjoyed doing, even though it meant a constant battle between the CEO and the former pharaoh.

"I apologize for their childish behavior." Yuna said as she walked closer to Yugi's side, "They just get excited whenever Duel Monsters is brought up. I think the game is the only part of Izumi that is a little… dorky. No offense!"

"None taken." Yugi chuckled. He realized some of his hobbies were a bit odd considering his age. They were what also caused him to feel lonely.

However, over time, he was able to meet new people and keep the friends he had now. The young adults in front of him was able to meet once in awhile for a meeting about a trading card game. Yugi was a bit envious of the older peer group for they appeared to be able to have an easier time to make their goals come true.

"Well, you can always reply through e-mail as well." Izumi informed towards the small teen. A pair of soft, purple eyes met with another pair of icy, gray ones. "I'll just let the administration office know that you were under the weather."

Yugi smiled a little as he said, "Thank you."

"Well, we need to get going." Eichi said he looked at his cell phone for the time, "I've got class to get to."

"And I got a paper due at eleven-fifty-nine p.m." Aoi stated, "And I haven't started yet!"

"Dork." Izumi sighed.

"I hope you feel better!" Yuna said towards the high school student.

Yugi smiled and nodded a little. The group said their goodbyes and departed. Yugi watched as everyone left. He began to wonder how many people he would have a chance to meet and be friends with over Duel Monsters. He then rubbed his eyes as he began to feel a tad sleepy.

"They sure bought a lot of cards." Solomon chucked, happy about the sales he made. He then looked over towards his grandson and asked, "Have you made your decision?"

"Hmm?" Yugi said as he glanced over. He brainstormed his answer but was still unsure. He remembered he still had a lot to do. He rubbed his right hand on his left arm. Underneath his sleeve he felt the bandages wrapped around. He finally answered, "I'm not sure."

"Well, go ahead and take your time," the elderly man advised, "We'll think of something if you want to go someplace else. But a scholarship like this isn't easy to come by."

"I know, Grandpa." Yugi agreed as he leaned against the counter.

"How do you feel?" Solomon asked, changing the subject.

"Ok." Yugi answered. He turned around and headed back towards his room. "I'm still a little tired so I'm going back to bed."

He then walked up the steps and entered his room. He went towards his bed and placed himself back on the mattress. Despite being a little groggy, plenty dwelled on his young mind. He wanted to take the chance and ease his family, but a part of him still dreaded attending Domino University alone.

"Are you feeling all right?" Yami asked as he felt distress once more emit from the boy. He was at first puzzled to see his partner out of bed but was relieved to see the young adult was fine.

"Just tired."Yugi answered.

"Try and take it easy." Yami advised gently. He did not wish any more stress to enter his partner and upset his stomach. He knew his friend was still recovering. "We can talk later."

Yugi sighed as he closed his eyes. Once again, he reflected about the previous conversation. He knew it would be best for him to take the scholarship; many students work hard for money in order to pay for tuition. Some of them were still in high school but needed the money to attend classes. He recalled his own mother was able to earn at least one scholarship in her college career.

With all these different options, the small teen felt overwhelmed. He knew he had to assist his darker half, but he still wanted to enjoy his current time in high school. However, he didn't want to be like a lost puppy on a college campus. The notion of reminded him of the duel between him and his younger self. His heart was bothered at the thought

"Try and relax your mind." Yami advised as gently as he could. He felt his light experiencing more stress and decided to try and prevent anymore problems from arising. He could feel the boy's stomach threatening to tighten up into a ball.

Before going to sleep, Yugi thought with ease, "_I think I've decided_…"


End file.
